


Peace Sign

by misty_lilacs



Category: Seduce Me (Visual Novel)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Confusion, Double Life, Fangirl, Gay Panic, Grief/Mourning, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I really hope you enjoy this, M/M, Original Character(s), Seduce Me the Otome, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Succubi & Incubi, hi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-03
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:46:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 28,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22578037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misty_lilacs/pseuds/misty_lilacs
Summary: A rewrite of the first game of Seduce Me! Colten X. Anderson is a witch in training who's doing his best to live a normal life. But it's a little hard with his strange dreams that go deeper than what he can understand, his grandpa's sudden death, and an alliance with a special gang. No surprise that it's a lot easier said than done...Of course, I don't own the game Seduce Me and all rights to the game and characters belong to Michaela Laws.
Comments: 5
Kudos: 33





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I know I was gone for way too long, but it wasn't without reason! While I was away, I rewrote everything... Lemme explain myself- I hated everything I'd written and the story wasn't turning out how I wanted it to. Besides, I think I've gotten much better at writing, and I'm very happy with the turn the story has taken in the rewrite! So, I hope you enjoy the new story as much as I enjoyed writing it!! 
> 
> \- <3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N- Thank you for putting up with my shenanigans and once again, please enjoy!!
> 
> 4,026 w~

The boy’s laughed as they skated down the street. It was their favorite time of day to get out and ride their skateboards. When the sky turned a beautiful mix of orange and pink when the clouds were big and puffy; they couldn’t resist to head out and have fun. Plus, Colten needed to get out of the house. If it weren’t for his friends, he would’ve stayed inside working on his book until the early hours of the morning, and he didn’t need anything else interrupting his beauty sleep. 

The dreams were enough to make his eyes snap open in the middle of the night or drain him of his energy when his dreaded alarm woke him up. 

“Stop getting in my way, dude!!” Nikolas yelled at his dark-haired friend, Patryk. Colten chuckled to himself as the two were always bickering about  _ something  _ when they skated. The blond was ahead of them most of the time and for that exact reason. He liked a little peace and quiet when he skated from time to time. But their bickering was another (weird) way that they showed their love for each other. The best of bros.

“Not my fault you’re slow!” 

“The road is  _ at least  _ twenty feet wide. How is it even possible to get in each other’s way?!” Colten yelled back at them with a chuckle. 

The two boys erupted in laughter and loud arguing, most likely waking up the residents that lived nearby. Thankfully for Colten, they calmed down and fell into soft giggles when they reached their favorite hangout spot. 

An old bench that sat on the edge of a small pond. Watching the sunset while they talked about whatever was on their minds never failed to make them feel better. Sometimes they’d stay past dark and Colten loved the way the moon reflected off the water’s surface. 

Right then and there, was a perfect moment. He’d forgotten all about his dream the night prior and could ignore that sense of fear. “-lten. EARTH TO FUCKING COLTEN!!” 

He snapped out of his tranquil daydream and stood up straight. “Yeah?” 

“Dude… you’re deaf…” 

Colten rolled his eyes and smiled. “Are you gonna spill or not?” 

Patryk got up and stood in front of him proudly. “I got us a spot at our favorite venue downtown!”

The blond lit up in excitement, “Wait, to play?!” 

“Of course to  _ play,  _ dumbass,” Patryk smiled cheerfully as Colten’s heart soared. They’d been going to that same venue watching other bands for two years at that point. Many sleepless nights were spent thinking about playing there. He almost couldn’t believe that they were finally going to play on that stage.

“When?” Knowing how popular it was, it’d have to be  _ months  _ away.

Patryk sat back down and shoved a few chips in his mouth. “Four months. Don’t ask how I was able to get us a spot so soon on a Saturday. Just enjoy it.”

Colten laughed at his friend’s remark. Only four months away and on a weekend? Their luck honestly couldn’t get any better. Maybe the uneasy feeling was wrong! Although, people do say that when a bunch of good things are happening, it means something really bad is about to go down. Thankfully, Colten didn’t really believe in that so he was good to go.

“Do the others know?” Their band consisted of five players, and they worked amazingly together. Plus, they all had cute little stage names that were fun to throw around in conversation. 

“Not yet. Wasn’t able to get a hold of them since they’ve been busy with their science project.” Nikolas sighed as the words ‘science project’ reached his ears. 

“ _ Dude,  _ why do you have to bring it up that stupid project! I’m already confused and I haven’t gotten past the worksheet!” 

In the blink of an eye, the conversation was spun on its head. No more discussion about fun band schedule, instead it would be about science class and how Mrs. Brinestone was the  _ worst,  _ not that Colten could say anything about her. He made the wise decision and passed on having advanced science in his final year. Instead, he went for theater and art. 100% making his parents proud. 

But soon they had to get going as the sky grew dark. They didn’t want to make the mistake of staying out until 12 AM on a school night again. The blond could still hear his ears ringing from his mother yelling at him for staying out so late. 

“You’ll be able to hang out tomorrow?” Nikolas and Patryk looked at him with puppy eyes. 

“Sorry but I’ve got… work and school stuff to do tomorrow. But I might be free this weekend!” The other two pouted but let it, seeing that it was only one day and they’d be together at school anyway. 

With their final goodbyes and hugs out of the way, they all went their separate ways. If Colten was honest, it was his least favorite part of his day. Whenever he’d hang out with them, they lived in the same neighborhood so they walked together, but he had to walk alone in the opposite direction. It didn’t feel fair nor right. Of course, he never dwelled on it for very long. They just lived closer together, that didn’t mean it was two and one. No need to overthink every last detail in your life. 

*****

*****

*

*

Colten sighed, running his hands through his hair and pulling at the strands. He sat at his desk, staring at the empty pages in front of him. It’d been a few hours since he’d gotten home and he was no closer to finishing his essay as he was three hours ago. A throbbing headache had started at the ten-minute mark and Colten rubbed his temples in frustration. It wasn’t fair that his teacher gave him such a long, complex essay to do in such a short amount of time. His mother was a great writer (and she was a big reason he decided to partake in literature), but she only knew so much about big corporation dynamics. Plus, Colten went to her with  _ everything  _ and she had enough on her shoulders. Especially since he wasn’t the only one who felt that something was amiss. 

There  _ was  _ a man that knew about big corporation dynamics but he was long gone and out of the young boy’s life. Long conversations about the company overtook his thoughts as he remembered how his father used to lecture him about it for hours. But before he could recall the memories in further detail or any more memories with his father at that matter, Colten decided to call it a night and work on it later. Right now, he needed to focus on his migraine and getting enough sleep to deal with tomorrow which already wasn’t looking good when he looked at his phone. 

The blond didn’t mean to stay up past 1 AM… it just kinda happened. He didn’t choose his bedtimes, rather the bedtimes chose him. He spun around in his chair and looked around his room, trying to find comfort in the various posters, drawings, and plushies scattered everywhere. You could barely see the wall with all his decorations, but he liked the chaos. It was easier to lose yourself in the happy madness, and what better place for that than his safe place? 

He breathed in deeply through his nose as his mind raced with everything he needed to get done, with everything he wanted to do, and everything he was and wasn’t feeling. Very rarely was his mind relaxed and clear. Even when he slept it still raced with everything that could be and everything that couldn’t. He’d tried meditation a few years back but he found it boring and would stress out since he was doing nothing but sitting there. It wasn’t like he didn’t care about his mental health, but he had a hard time taking care of the things he couldn’t see with his own two eyes. 

His head tipped back as he ran his hands over his face. It was already so late and he didn’t feel like taking a shower. It’d be rude to make so much noise this early in the morning anyway. It was likely that his mother had just fallen asleep and she could wake up from a pin dropping two miles away, so it was best to let her sleep so she could get through her workday that’d start in just a few hours. 

Articles of dirty clothes fell to the floor as he turned off his lights and tried to get into bed. Having a puppy sleeping in the middle of the mattress made it a bit hard to maneuver around, but over the years he’d learned ways to bend and contort his body into a comfortable enough position to sleep in. 

It wasn’t easy falling asleep, since he couldn’t find the will to close his eyes within him. A splitting pain in his head, unwashed hair, and worst of all, a dream that would make him tremble and one that he would be left to decipher once he managed to fall asleep. The last dream he had wasn’t scary in itself but it had an underlying sense of dread. It was the same feeling one would get on the first day of school. Something completely new that you have to face even if you don’t want to. You can try to hide and push it back but your fate had already been sealed. 

Colten grinned as he remembered his first days of high school. He had been petrified but beyond excited. Little did the youngster know that high school wouldn’t just change his environment or his school’s football team but rather his family dynamic and how he knew the world, or should he say “worlds” now? Honestly, it was the biggest mind blow of his life even if he hadn’t been all that surprised. He always believed in something more but never had the facts to prove it. 

At long last, happier thoughts started to flow through him like fresh spring water. Memories of his mother and grandfather teaching him all they knew about magic and the other worlds. Laughing, smiling… the blissful sounds echoed in his head as he finally fell asleep. 

*****

*****

*****

*

*

He was thanking every god he knew (of which there were many) that there hadn’t been another dream. Colten still hadn’t figured out most if any of the dreams he’d gotten in the last three months. They were all too complex and full of backward logic and contradicting ideas. The poetic words that were spoken to him weren’t simple and straightforward. They got you tongue-tied and made his head spin in circles, but even though he couldn’t make sense of it, the words never left his mind. It was like they were locked into place and there was no hope of getting them out. Accompany that with the hazy visions he’d see and you got yourself a full-fledged mystery to solve. Which was bad since he was a horrible detective. 

His morning was slow and he cringed with each step he took. His mind was foggy with the lack of sleep, his hair was matted down with grease, and the sickening pit in his stomach only grew larger. As the morning continued, he waited to see what would happen. With the feeling he’d been feeling for the past week, he suspected something bad to happen soon. It’d gotten stronger over the week and he was waiting to fall off the edge of the cliff. Waiting to stumble over the edge and plummet towards the rocky bottom where he’d surely perish. Colten prayed there was a saving grace, a net, to save his fall and preserve his life to pursue another day. 

Someone sat down next to him on the old, fake-leather bus seat. The familiar ripped glove on their hand made him cringed as he realized who’d sat next to him. They ripped his earbuds out and leaned in close so no one would hear them. 

“Bring someone to the usual spot,” They growled. 

“B-but… you all said that I wouldn’t need to do that until-”

“That doesn’t matter now! Just do as you’re told.” Colten frowned and looked down at his lap. He despised having to listen to them. It was the biggest mistake of his life and he’d do anything to take it back, but alas no such miracle existed. 

“You know the rules. If you disobey-”

“I’m aware… I…  _ fine _ , I’ll do it.”

“ _ Good~”  _ Their words made a disgusting shiver run up his spine. Everything the devils did made him gag. They were revolting creatures and he scolded himself for making a reliance with them. Even if his life had been on the line, sometimes he wondered if he should’ve let things be. It was almost like he cheated death. He was supposed to die that day from his own stupidity and recklessness, yet here he was, stepping off the bus and eyeing the sea of teens. 

Who was his next victim going to be? Thankfully, magic and large egos kept his double life a secret. Just a short spell and pride was all it took for the victim to never speak of what went down ever again. It was a simple process if he was being honest. Being gay and a pushover made him an easy target for bullying. So, give the assholes what they wanted. Schedule a time and place so they could beat you into a pulp without school staff catching them. Of course, it never ended up that way. They were always the ones who ended up with bloody knuckles and broken noses. Once, they even lost their life. Fortunately, the person hadn’t gone to his school so nothing could be traced back to Colten, but he still hurled at the memory that he was responsible for their death. 

The next punching bag fell right into his lap when he walked into the bathroom in the middle of class. Over the months, he’d learned to shut out what they had to say. It was just a bunch of curses and slurs anyway, so why should he listen? At first, he’d been deeply hurt by each word they spoke. Tears would fall and he’d sob when his head would connect with the tile wall. Now, he acted timid and submissive to make them believe they have the upper hand, only to pull the rug out from under their feet when he declared that they fight. The process never changed no matter where he went. 

Since he couldn’t just pick off students one by one, he’d go to other schools when they hosted after-school activities, or football games, or even the park. Anywhere as long as he could find someone willing to follow him for one reason or another. 

He repeated the same process for his new victim. They spat diluted poison at him and once they shoved him against the wall, he proposed his time and place for them to settle things out physically. Unsurprisingly, their eyes widened before smiling wickedly and accepting. 

When he left the bathroom, his heart was pounding and he gasped for air. He may have gotten used to their hateful words and the stinging pain in the back of his head but that didn’t change the fact that he was still a scared little boy deep inside. His entire life he avoided conflict and stayed quiet. Being forced to jump headfirst into danger never got easier; he simply learned to hide it even if he shivered and sweat would bead on his forehead. It was the attitude you put off and most people didn’t look into your aura. 

Lunchtime rolled around and his worries faded away once more. His friends always knew what to say and what jokes to tell. They were like godsends in those moments. 

“Are you alright, Colt? You don’t look too hot,” Patryk said as he shoved another brownie in his mouth. The blond looked up at him for a quick moment before looking back down at the small brownie in his hands, a few of the colorful, round sprinkles laid on the table as he picked them off one by one. 

“Yeah, just crawling in my own skin. Stayed up late again and forgot to take a shower.” His friends looked at each other quizzically but decided not to push the issue. Colten could fix most issues that came his way. He just needed time to think on his own and some comfort food and he’d be good to go. Of course, they had to be careful since Colten never admitted when it became too much. It’d just hit them like a brick when Colten would start yelling at himself for dropping a pencil and spiral out of control for the dumbest of reasons. 

The trio loved fantasy but only Colten knew the truth. On multiple occasions, he wanted to tell them. Show them the wonders of the five worlds so they could enjoy it together, but his grandfather and mother always told him no. They weren’t given proper training nor were they permitted the higher-ups. So, his dreams had to stay out of the conversation. Not that Colten would talk about them even  _ if  _ they were allowed to know. Colten had wanted a few theories and leads before he brought them up to anyone, which didn’t seem like the best idea but he couldn’t go back and change his decisions. Plus, he planned on telling his grandfather the next time he saw him so as to not stress out his mother. 

When lunch ended and they were walking back to their classes, Colten caught a glimpse of familiar brown hair. The boy he’d challenged in the bathroom, Lance, walked tall and proud in long powerful strides. No, he only  _ looked  _ that way but if you paid attention to the person underneath the surface, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. He was prideful and cocky but there wasn’t an ounce of true authority. He had the heart of a follower and couldn’t lead a pack even if he tried his hardest. It was like a buck trying to play the role of an alpha wolf. 

Colten half expected them to lock eyes and freeze under the glare but Lance paid him no mind. They went their separate ways for the rest of the day until the school day came to a close. The blond had made sure to give himself enough time to calm his nerves and get some homework done before he “got his ass handed to him”. Unfortunately, most of the worksheets he was assigned were already completed (thanks to him finishing everything early and having too much free time) and his stress levels weren’t going down until the deed was done. The only thing he had left to do was that dreaded essay and it was a lost cause for the time being. 

The old wood of the park table dug into his shoulder blades as he laid down to look up at the trees. It didn’t hurt to be a little early to their meeting place. Or rather an hour early. People said to arrive at least 30 minutes early to any performance to help relieve stress, and with all the backhanded moves he was making along with the countless lies he was telling, it might as well have been the best theatrical performance in his life. 

“Looks like  _ someone’s  _ eager for a beat down.” More slurs quickly followed. Colten stayed calm until he heard the word ‘kinky’. This boy  _ really  _ thought Colten came early because he  _ wanted  _ to get beat up? Because he got off on it? The blond erupted into laughter before being cut short with a firm punch to his cheek. Needless to say, it shut Colten up. He held the side of his face and froze. 

He couldn’t see Malix or anybody from the gang in his peripheral vision and he started to panic. What if they didn’t show up? Then he’d be beaten to a pulp and feel like a fool. How could he explain it away to his parents? Colten was the one who scheduled this fight so he should be the one to finish it. If he didn’t, Lance would walk away thinking Colten was some messed-up freak, and the mere thought of that rumor spreading made him wince. 

Lance tried to punch him again but the smaller backed away and fell on his back. It wasn’t a better position to be in but at least he’d spared himself another bruise. The insults Lance threw at him weren’t very good, nor were they particularly hurtful after everything else he’d been told. Hanging around devils made you numb to those kinds of things. Thankfully, he still hadn’t forgotten fear or how to feel altogether. Colten didn’t need another pushing factor in his life that made him even less human than he already was. 

Colten crawled back and got to his feet, bawled fists in front of his face. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do but he couldn’t be overrun by fear yet. Not without a fight. “You’ve got it all wrong,” he said, voice coming out shaky. 

“Shut up, shirt lifter,” The jock’s knuckles cracked as he walked closer. 

Colten tried to get up but his arms wouldn’t stop shaking with all the adrenaline coursing through his veins. What was he supposed to do? He didn’t know how to fight! Of course, he knew how to throw a punch and possibly a kick but that didn’t mean his moves would hit or have any power behind them. 

Lance kneeled and grabbed a fistful of his collar, pulling his arm back to deliver a punch he feared would knock him out cold or break his nose. Possibly both would happen knowing his luck. 

“Hands off my plaything!” Never in his life had he been so relieved to hear that scratchy voice. It was rough like sandpaper and always ended in a snarl. It only showed how far Malix and the gang were from being human. 

Lance looked up with a glare, only to audibly swallow when his eyes saw what stood before him. Colten tipped his head back and saw a few devils starting to form a semicircle. When he looked back up, more popped up behind Lance. Even though “help” had finally shown up, not that they came there to save Colten from a beat down since they would most likely enjoy watching that, his fear didn’t waver. 

Lance dropped Colten and he fell with a grunt, quickly standing back upright and looking at the red-skinned people who were dressed like thugs. “Who the h-h _ ell  _ are you?” His voice cracked as he tried to suppress his confusion and terror. 

The blond opened his mouth to answer but Malix got to it first. “We’re your worst nightmare~” He would've rolled his eyes if he wasn’t busy shivering on the ground. If he just closed his eyes the devils would do what they  wanted needed to with Lance and Colten could run home and pray that his face didn’t bruise. It wouldn’t be unlikely for his skin to stay a natural pale color since he rarely bruised, so he prayed his genes and luck wouldn’t give up on him now. 

Sounds of agony and sadistic pleasure washed over him. They didn’t leave him even after he grabbed his things and ran home, trying to drown the noise out with a warm shower. Or even with the sound of a keyboard clicking as he tried to work on his godforsaken essay. Or with the sound of guitars and drums blasting through his earbuds. But through it all, he could still hear the twisted symphony of Lance’s pain, the devils’ pleasure, and the voice in his dreams whispering to him pieces of a puzzle he didn’t know if he wanted to solve. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N- I hope you all enjoy the second chapter! 
> 
> 3,181 w~

The ice stung his cheek as Colten held back tears. It was almost as bad as the actual punch to the face. On his way home, Colten had decided the best cover story to tell was he’d had a run-in with an angry homeless man on the way home. Their area was safe and not many homeless people were around, but it was the best thing he could come up with. 

Of course, his mother panicked and immediately ran to throw an ice pack at his face, but he couldn’t blame her. When you looked at her worried, green iris’s he could tell she didn’t fully believe him. However, she dropped it for the time being and let him relax on the couch with the promise that she’d have his stepdad get Chinese food for him. Colten was blessed to have such sweet parents. He had to fight tooth and nail to stay with them full-time, but all those court dates and days spent screaming at people who’d never listen no matter were worth it. 

It was a scary thought that in just a few months he’d be off to college. The end of the school year was right around the corner, so he’d already applied and (thank the heavens) got accepted. He was still gonna live at home since it’s only a 30-minute drive, but the concept of college was terrifying. 

“What’s the deal with the goblin dude? He should be killing it right now!” His stepdad, John, called out at the tv, a smile on his face. He always had funny commentary to make while they watched tv and he was usually right. The goblin guy was indeed acting out of character right now and being weak, but Colten could see why. The goblin was protecting the human girl instead of killing her, which was totally out of character, but he guessed that a movie had to movie and it was part romance after all. It got him thinking if a monster like the goblin could ever become soft and gentle because of some stupid reason like love. Was it even possible for love to change someone that much? Or at least give them a change of heart? 

When the movie was over the thought still lingered in his mind. Jokingly, he turned to John and asked, “Do you think it’s even possible for love to corrupt someone that much?” The older man shrugged, and he stood up and ruffled Colten’s damp hair.

“I’d say so! Otherwise, he would’ve eaten her right up!” He made a dramatic eating sound and walked off into the kitchen pretending to be a big monster. Colten heard his mother sigh and chuckle to herself from in the kitchen and the blond rolled his eyes. His dad (he didn’t bother to add the “step” part to it anymore since he didn’t see the difference) was the goofball of the family and the two would drive his mother mad with embarrassment and laughter. It was the least they could do when she spoiled them with gifts and was the brains of the household. They’d be completely lost without her. 

~*~

_ It was cold and blurry. He tried to open his eyes, but they kept closing no matter how hard he tried. He couldn’t move with the heavy metal chains tying him down. All he wanted to do was run but there was no way out. Everything was so eerily silent, yet it was too loud to think straight. One voice filled his head. It rasped and groaned like its throat was crushed. He could hear blood dripping to the floor. _

_ Where could he go? What should he do? Why was he blind to the world? How would he get free of the chains that bound him? Who was rasping just beyond his reach? When would he get an answer to his burning questions? _

_ “Soon.”  _

_ ~*~ _

Colten didn’t get much sleep that night. He woke up in the early hours of the morning and spent the rest of his time jotting down the dream and staring at his ceiling; petting the dog that slept beside him on the small twin bed. Every day he envied his pets. They didn’t have a care in the world. All they did was sleep and eat all day long, and if that didn’t sound like living the dream, he didn’t know what did. 

His alarm sounded off in his ears and he rolled over to turn it off. Exhaustion plagued every inch of his body. Purple bags sat beneath his big, brown eyes. It didn’t take a genius to see that he was running off of four hours of sleep max. What was worse was the dark blue splotch that had blossomed on the side of his face. When he locked eyes with his reflection he flinched and looked away to text Patryk. The brunet’s mother had been working for Sephora ever since they were kids, so Patryk knew a thing or two on makeup. Whenever they hung-out they’d get dolled up so he knew Patryk could help him out. 

‘Good morning! Do you think you can meet me in the school parking lot a little before school starts with some makeup? Got a bruise on my face yesterday and I don’t wanna be asked or teased about it…’

‘Morning! Yeah, I can meet you. Is everything alright?’

‘Yep! Just a bad fall :’)’

The bruise was dark and swollen, no surprise, and the idea of everyone staring at him and spreading rumors gave him the chills. No sir, he did not need that in the middle of weird dreams, devil gang drama, and the pit in his stomach that felt heavier than ever. He’d thought that what’d happened the previous day was the cause since he’d feared that he was going to get his ass kicked but the sickening feeling remained ever-present. The fall was near; too close for his liking. 

Rocco, his old hound dog he’d gotten when he was 10, nuzzled against his hand and trotted out of his room and down the stairs. Colten smiled and quickly got dressed to follow him, not wanting to be late to meet up with Patryk before the school day started. The last thing he needed was a bunch of students watching as he and Patryk met up in the parking lot with makeup and Colten’s bruised face. 

The house was quiet save for the birds chirping outside and Rocco’s nails clicking against the floor. Mornings were as peaceful as they were dreadful. Everything was quiet and, on a weekend, you could stay in bed and watch as the sun shone through your window, but on a school day they were cold and stressful. Can you tell he isn’t a morning person?

A protein bar was all he managed to grab before he said his goodbyes to his parents and headed out. The blond smiled when he saw his car. When he was a child, he and his parents played a game where every time they saw a Volkswagen Beetle they’d yell ‘punch-buggy’ and gently punch whoever was closest. Ever since then, his dream car was a Volkswagen Beetle and for his sixteenth birthday, he was gifted one. It was an older model, per his request, and he couldn’t love it more. 

The faint smell of lilac filled his nose as he drove down the busy street. Ever since that day he spent picking lilacs with his grandmother he’d found deep comfort in their scent. It brought him back to the good old days. The blond even had a sachet on his nightstand with dried lilac petals inside. Whenever he had nightmares, the scent helped bring him back to earth and ground himself. 

Pleasant memories of the past were cut short when his eyes caught sight of a familiar figure. His gaze lingered on the tall, sun-kissed skin man. Their short, black hair was now almost all grey with age as it glimmered in the early morning sun. The man looked familiar. Eerily similar to a certain tall-haired man he’d known since the day he was born. The same man he’d had to force out of his life not too long ago. 

In the midst of him staring, lights in front of him turned oddly bright. Colten shifted his gaze to see the car in front of him approaching him at a violent speed. He slammed his foot on the breaks as a piece of the protein bar he’d been eating flew into the back of his throat. He coughed violently as he kept both hands firmly on the steering wheel. He’d just avoided an accident by the skin of his teeth because of some man, and when he looked back, he saw that it was a complete stranger. It was some random man just trying to live his life while Colten was being an idiot and staring at them instead of paying attention to the road. 

Thankfully, he managed to drive into the school parking lot without another mishap and without choking on his protein bar that he’d put down in fear of it being a distraction. Patryk was leaning against the side of his beat-up Toyota. It’s once glossy black paint now scratched and a few dents here and there. Although, they still loved that car. It had a vibe to it that made you wanna sing and drive around until the sun rose up. 

“Woah, what the fuck happened to you?!” Patryk ran over to Colten before he could fully step out of his car. “Who did this?!”

Colten gently removed Patryk’s hand from his face and chuckled. “My beloved skateboard… I wanted to try something new and it didn't go so well, as you can see. Fell down and face planted,” He chuckled nervously. Patryk furrowed his eyebrows and backed away, going to his own car and motioning for Colten to follow. It was written all over his face that he didn't believe Colten.

They sat in the back of his car on the soft, nylon seats. Patryk dug around in a smudged tote bag; countless products lied inside from being collected over the years. Half of the bag was full of old, useless products that he either didn’t use or couldn’t use. Colten would make him clean out his makeup supply every few weeks, but it piled up within the next few days no matter what he did.

“You know you shouldn’t be putting makeup on-“

“I know. Just cover it up so the whole school doesn’t have to see it. Plus, it’s Friday so I can leave it alone for the weekend.” He flinched when Patryk put slight pressure on his cheek, his fists curling up into tight balls. 

The brunet sighed, his shaggy hair swaying as he shook his head. “I’ll help you, but this is stupid. I don’t like you getting hurt.” 

Colten rolled his eyes playfully and tensed as Patryk did his best to be careful. It wasn’t long into the process when Patryk spoke up again, storm-grey eyes filled with worry and curiosity. “What happened?”

“I told you. A homeless guy-“

“That’s not what I meant, dumbass. I mean that you seem tense. Something’s up and you’re not telling me.” Colten swallowed nervously. There was more than Patryk ever knew going on in his life. He couldn’t say anything, not wanting to get his brother from another mother involved with the dangers of devils and magic. 

“On the way here, I saw a dude on the side of the road who looked just like my dad. It wasn’t him, but I almost got into a car crash cause I completely zoned out,” He tried to laugh but it sounded more like a sob.

The brunet put a hand on his shoulder and made Colten look him in the eye. “Are you okay?” He nodded. “You’re not lying about the bruise, are you?” 

“No, I’m not. I wouldn’t lie about that,” Colten said with a tight voice. Patryk pursed his lips before continuing his work. His heart ached to know that he was breaking the other’s trust, but there was no other way. Lying wasn’t something he enjoyed. His heart raced and he’d start to shake whenever he was put on the spot and had a platform of lies to stand on. 

It didn’t take long to cover his bruise and make his skin look like one even color. Patryk even started to do normal makeup on Colten since they were both bored, and it wouldn’t be the first time they’d worn makeup to school. The brunet wore eyeliner most days and Colten wore blush every now and then. Sometimes he’d put sparkles on his cheeks, so he’d be a glittery mess for the rest of the day. 

Colten moved his head around in the small pocket mirror and smiled. “Thank you! I honestly have no clue what I’d do without you.” Patryk smiled back at him as they stepped out of the car and grabbed their things. 

“Same to you man. I’d be dead by now.” They both laughed as they made their way to the front doors. Other cars had just started to pull up, so they blended in with all the other kids walking into the building. 

The two parted ways as they walked into their respective classrooms. Nikolas sat near Colten’s desk, impatiently waiting for his arrival. Luckily, they’d ended up in the same homeroom that year. 

The red-head grinned and leaned back, “Dude! What took you so long?” 

Colten cocked an eyebrow. There were only five other students in the classroom, and he’d walked in right after the teacher. “Sorry that I don’t wake up before the sun rises,” He said sarcastically. “Some of us like to sleep every now and then.”

Nikolas laughed and hopped off his desk walking around to give his friend a good morning hug. “Yeah, yeah. Whatever.”

They both sat on the blond’s small desk, chattering about anything and everything that came to mind. 

“Hey,” Colten began with a hand behind his neck, “you know when you have a feeling that something bad is about to happen?” Nikolas nodded and motioned for Colten to continue. “Well… I guess I’m just nervous because I thought the bad thing had already happened but it’s still there.” 

“Huh… well I guess you better start praying.” The blond scoffed and playfully hit the other’s shoulder. Nikolas laughed and slung an arm over his shoulder. “I’m  _ kidding _ ! If anything starts to go down just hit me up and I’ll come help! Whatever it is, I’m sure you’ll be fine!” He paused before looking at him with a smirk, “Hopefully.” 

Colten pushed him off his desk and sat down in his chair. “Just go to your seat,” He said in between giggles. “Class is about to start anyway.” The redhead laughed as he walked over to his seat that was diagonally behind Colten’s two rows down. 

Even though he doubted his friends' words, they comforted him, nonetheless. The teacher sat up from her desk and the slow boring lecture began. 

~*~

A sharp pain stung from his face and shoulder. His backpack weighed a ton (thanks high school) and he kept worrying the makeup was going to fade away. His skin was already looking a little more purple on the right side of his cheek, so he was thankful the day was almost over. 

Quickly, he walked down the halls to get to his car when he saw them. A group of popular kids hanging out in the hallway. It was the same group Lance was in, but he was nowhere to be seen. If he thought about it, he hadn’t seen Lane the entire day which was uncommon. They had the same gym class after all, and Lance loved reminding everyone how fast he could run and how many pushups he could do. 

He shouldn’t have been surprised though. Knowing the devils, Lance was lucky to be alive. Or at least he assumed he was alive since he hadn’t heard anything yet, but he assumed, or rather hoped, Lance was still alive. 

With that thought in mind, he hurried down the parking lot and jumped into his car. His cheek hurt and all he wanted was to remove the makeup and snuggle up and the couch with his dog. Was that too much to ask? To just ignore the pit in his stomach and the dreams for a little while and pretend life was normal? 

Paying attention to the road, he contemplated what he was going to do. Part of him wanted to see his grandfather since it’d been a while and he needed to talk to him. He missed him more than he wanted to admit and yearned to hug him. They’d missed out on some quality time recently because of the company and Colten had some new ideas for some toys. He’d always doodle little plushies and he’d share his ideas with his grandpa later on, and he had a few new ones he knew he was going to love. 

His hand twitched on the steering wheel with the urge to turn and head to his grandpa’s house. He debated whether or not he should go. Colten missed him but he just wanted to be home. The last thing we wanted was for him to see his bruise and ask questions or feel that something was off. At the last second, he changed his mind and switched lanes to go home. The visit could wait for another day. 

Music played through the car radio and he hummed along softly.  _ Lance’s face froze in fear as devils surrounded him with wicked grins and menacing laughs. _ His fingers drummed along with the rhythm.  _ Tears streamed down his cheeks as he begged for his life as long, sharp nails dug into his chin. _ He sighed wistfully as he parked in front of his house, wishing his heart would calm down.  _ A loud booming voice rang in his ears as he backed away from the tall, raven-haired man.  _

Something was wrong.  _ Very  _ wrong. The pit in his stomach felt like a bowling ball and he began to pant. He scolded himself for acting so weird. What was the reason for this sudden breakdown? 

Colten ran inside, leaving his things in the car. Sobbing. It was sobbing. He followed the sound to his parent's bedroom to see his mother crying with John hugging her. “Mom?” She snapped up and she reached out to him. The blond ran to her side and took her hand into his own. “Mom, what’s wrong?” 

It took a couple of moments for her to calm down but eventually, she managed to choke out the cause of her sorrow. “Your grandpa…” She sniffled and wiped away her tears only for them to be replaced seconds later. “He’s gone, sweetie…” 

It felt like a bullet shot through him and he straightened up like an arrow. He could only shake his head in disbelief before crashing into his mother's open arms. 


	3. Chapter 3

The rest of the night was spent in solemn silence, save for the sound of sniffles and sobs. He was gone. Harold Anderson was dead, but the fact that he was no longer with the living was hard to stomach. Colten felt nauseous as he tried to get the news through his head. For the rest of his life, he would never see his grandfather's smile or hear his laugh. 

He laid on his back, his nose was stuffy, and he felt like he was suffocating. It wasn’t possible. It  _ couldn’t  _ be possible. Right? In his mind, his grandfather was an immortal figure who couldn’t die. He didn’t see him as a god by any means, but he saw him as someone who’s life was measured like everyone else’s. Colten assumed that he saw most people he cared that way. That they wouldn’t be gone one day for him to never see or talk to again.

It was dark and cold in his room. Too much so for a bright spring day. No matter what he did, tears kept falling. It’d been that way since the previous night. His stomach growled from the lack of food, but he felt no want for food. He’d skipped dinner, breakfast, and was currently missing out on lunch. Although, neither of his parents had eaten much either so he felt no push to get up and eat.

A loud buzz snapped him out of his daze for a moment. It was another text from his friends. He hadn’t texted them that morning like he usually did and since he’d already been acting strange, so the two were quick to ask questions and get worried. It buzzed twice more within the minute before his dreaded ringtone played into his head. Cold fingers wrapped around the phone as he stared at Patryk’s caller ID. Bright light flashed across his face and he squinted at the happy picture of his friend that shone across his screen. He waited until it went to voicemail before silencing his phone and placing it back down on his small, blue nightstand.

Time passed at an uneven pace. It felt like hours had gone by, yet time stood still. When Colten shifted to look out his window, the sun was already beginning to set. A heavy blanket of shame already pressed down heavily on top of him, but it felt like another layer was added to the pile with every passing second. Betraying his grandpa, not taking the turn to see him, not visiting him earlier, and spending an entire day drowning in his own emotions and self-pity. Maybe the devils were right about him. He was a selfish, pathetic human being. God smiled down on him the day they let him live, but now it felt more like a curse to still be alive.

The blond sat up and felt the blood in his head fall. He groaned while putting a hand to his temple, giving his body a moment to stabilize itself. His legs felt like jelly and his head felt like it was about to explode. Throughout the house, it was eerily silent. Colten eyed his mother’s bedroom door, knowing if he walked inside, he would see his mother sitting alone on her bed, weeping into her hands.

Downstairs, he found John sitting in silence with his head hung low. His mother had probably pushed him away for some space and was waiting for the greenlight to help her however he could. Each room he walked into, the air was heavy and thick with melancholy. It was driving him mad with the want to escape to some place else. Colten sat down at the kitchen counter, tracing circles onto the granite countertop.

He knew just the place. A place far enough from here for it to feel like an escape, but not too far where he was running away and shutting everything else. It was large enough to where he could lose his problems within it’s freshly painted walls. The mansion. No doubt that it was empty save for old, happy memories. Who knows? Maybe being in the mansion would help him see that he was really gone? The blond wouldn’t know it was a stupid idea until he tried it, right?

“Hey, John?” The brunet looked up at his son and smiled gently. Colten took the silence as an invitation to continue. “I need some space and was wondering if I could head out to a friend's house for a few days? It looks like mom will need the space too…” He looked up at his dad with big, brown eyes; full of hope and tears.

It took a minute, as well as a little persuading, but John eventually said yes, and Colten packed up a few things to last him no more than a week. The hardest part of leaving was saying goodbye to his mother. The door creaked and his mother sat on her bed looking down at her hands.

“Mom? I’m... um…” Guilt creeped up Colten’s back as he watched his mother, the strongest person he knew, fall apart. “I’m heading out for some… fresh air. I wanted to see my friends too and stay with them for a little while.” He looked up at her, praying she’d take it the right way and let him go.

She nodded softly, “That’s okay, baby. Be careful.” He gave her a tight hug and they stayed in each other’s arms for a few moments before he pulled away. Her green eyes were swollen and bloodshot. “I love you,” she said as she brushed a piece of his golden hair behind his ear.

“I love you too,” And with that he grabbed his small, black suitcase and left. The car ride was quiet and unnerving. He’d always hated driving at night. You couldn’t see well and there were so many horror stories about someone driving in the night and either being murdered, or someone they were with getting murdered. But it was somewhat entertaining and peaceful. He preferred nighttime for many reasons and had always been a fan of horror or anything creepy.

Fortunately, the thirty-minute drive (that had felt like an hour) went by without incident. Truth be told, Colten was quickly nodding off and the exhaustion was starting to get to him. It was barely 8:30 PM and he was ready for bed. He dragged his suitcase out of the backseat and admired the newly cut grass and perfectly kept flower beds lining the walkway. Lights lit up the mansion, putting the front walls on show.

Colten stumbled through the front door and his heart stopped. Pale white marble surrounded him and shined like a million suns. Two large staircases that curved up the walls of the foyer. A small bouquet of red roses sat on the small, wooden coffee table. They were red as blood. He dropped his bags at the bottom of the stairs, too tired to take them up. With heavy feet, he made his way upstairs and into one of the guest bedrooms.

It felt wrong to sleep in his grandfather's bed, so he opted for staying in the usual room he slept in whenever he visited. It was the largest guest room and it had one large queen bed in the center of the room.

The large, white duvet was soft and fluffy under his touch. It smelled like fresh lemon and linen; a scent he happily relished in as he nuzzled into the silky, feather pillowed.

His heart felt like solid led in his chest. The weight was near unbearable as his mind played tricks on him. If he closed his eyes and blocked out the pain, it was almost like he was just visiting, and nothing was amiss.

To his chagrin, he knew that wasn’t the case. He’s sworn up and down that his grandfather’s death was the terrible awful he’d been sensing but it was still lurking deep inside. It made Colten want to throw up. What was next? Couldn’t he have a break? The more he thought about it, the more the answer became clear as he fell asleep. Someone who’d sinned the way he had  _ did  _ deserve what was coming.  
  


~•~

_ A loud boom echoed down the long, concrete corridors. Yells and howls of pain surrounded Colten from all sides. His head spun as he ran and stumbled over his own two feet. Red flower petals covered the floor and clung to his hands and lips. _

__ “Please be okay.”  
  


~•~

He awoke in a cold sweat, looking around the room with wild eyes. What in the world was that supposed to mean? What kind of dream was that? They were useless questions, since he asked them every night without an answer in sight. The only thing he could do that’d give him any sort of resolve would be to calm down and write the dream down so he could question it another time. For now, he’d stay in bed till the sun rose up and wander the house later in hopes of finding something grand and new. 

~•~

The halls were long and daunting. It was cold no matter where he went, and goosebumps rose up on his arms. “Snap out of it,” he snapped under his breath. His voice was scratchy from crying for so long. It was weird to hear his voice so weak and broken. Although, it wasn’t the first time he’d heard it so vulnerable.

He pushed open two wide, espresso-colored doors that led to the library. It was dim and slightly musty inside. The sun shined beautifully through the windows and the red, velvet couches sat in the center of the room waiting for someone to sit down and read themselves into another world. Colten had spent countless hours reading in those chairs, or writing stories in front of the fireplace.

Inside of one of the cabinets, he found various photo albums. Some of them were music covers, others of classic art pieces, but the ones Colten was most interested in were the family albums. Pictures of him and his family from the day his grandfather was born, up to last summer’s vacation.

A glossy, pine green spine caught his eye, so he grabbed it, careful to make sure no other books fell out of place and sat down on one of the couches. Etched onto the cover in gold stitching was the words “ _ Family”.  _ He took a deep breath and flipped to the first page. Then the second. And then the third. Picture after picture, page after page, his mind was flooded with past memories his mind had forgotten. But in almost every picture, his grandpa was there holding him as a young baby and smiling wide.

Tears pricked at the corner of his eyes. His nose stung as his throat began to close. Colten’s body shook with his gentle chuckles that were growing louder. Was he about to cry? He almost couldn’t believe it. It felt like all he was good for now was crying.

Teeth bit into rosy lips; trying to muffle the pathetic noises that threatened to spill out of him. It was a stupid idea to look at the old family albums. He deserved to feel the pain for being so idiotic. Deserved to lose his grandfather after he betrayed him.

Every day, he’d been stabbing his grandpa in the back. Putting on a smile and lying to his grandpa’s face when he was staying out of trouble. If he ever found out what Colten had been doing, he probably would’ve died right on the spot.

Right as his throat began to tighten up with the oncoming cryfest, a loud  _ crash  _ made him jolt and sit upright. Heavy thumps were followed afterwards, and distant yelling reached his ears. They were short-lived as they faded into silence within a few minutes. Colten audibly swallowed and felt frozen in place, yet the urge to run and see what the noise had been roared inside him.

He stood up and the book crashed onto the floor with a heavy  _ thud.  _ Carefully, he left the library and whispered prayers that it was a bird that’d crashed into a window. A bird that’d sounded like multiple human-sized figures opening and going through a window then proceeding to yell and groan like humans. Even wishful thinking couldn’t convince him that it had been any kind of bird, or animal for that matter.

“Please be a bird,  _ please be a bird!”  _ He chanted to himself in hopes that he’d gone crazy. Colten could see the blinding white marble of the foyer and something felt amiss. It’d take a fool to think he was alone. Leaning against the wall, he held his arms close to his chest. Colten tried to listen for the sounds of a break-in or breathing or  _ anything,  _ but he couldn’t’ hear a damn thing over the sound of his heart beating in his ears. He’d thought he would’ve been safe here. Yes, it was a nice, expensive house with many valuables inside, but it was a safe area with top-notch security around the whole perimeter. What kind of people were around the corner?

Colten closed his eyes tightly, taking a sharp inhale before making his final choice. Whatever he’d been expecting to see wasn’t anywhere close to what he saw. The first thing he took notice of was blood. It painted the floor and pooled around the five bodies on the floor. They all rasped for air as they stood on their last legs of life. Colten wanted to think that it was an act, that they were actors who were playing a sick joke or were luring him into a death trap. But no one could betray the look, the sound, or the smell of death like they were. The five, unconscious men on his polished floors were dying.

For a handful of minutes, he stood there in shock. Not wanting to move or make a sound in fear of what might happen, but the longer he stood there, the more their pain made its way into his heart. Shakily, he stepped closer to one of the men and kneeled down, doing his best to avoid the blood. It covered the bottoms of his feet and he eventually gave up and got on his knees, watching as the crimson liquid soaked into his jeans.

The man’s face was beautifully sculpted, and it was free of blemishes, save for a few cuts on his cheek and a line of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. As soon as his hand cupped the man’s cheek, his eyes fluttered open and a slight scowl crossed his face. A low, almost animalistic growl rumbled within the man’s chest and Colten wanted to push the man away and run. But instead, he stayed put and stared down at him with wide eyes.

“Kiss me,” his voice was low and coarse. It was demanding and Colten felt compelled to say yes.

“Excuse me?” Bright green eyes stared up at him, not a hint of playfulness to be found. This guy was actually being serious with him? 

The man’s frown deepened, “I  _ said _ , kiss me.” Something was off. His fear had blocked it out before, but now he could feel deep inside that something wasn’t right, other than the obvious break-in and bloody men. Now that he was closer to one of them, he felt like they were… special, for lack of a better term. He couldn’t place his finger on it, but it was a distantly familiar sensation.

A glint of gold in the man’s eyes was the last thing he saw before closing his eyes and leaning down to place his lips on the handsome strangers. Their lips were rough and chapped with a small cut on the side. It was polar opposite to Colten’s, which were soft with a newly applied layer of lip balm. Although, he didn’t hate it. Part of him was screaming to run and have some logic, but a burning desire that’d been newly lit was burning brighter than anything else. Although, the blond couldn’t pull away even if he wanted to since the man had a tight grip on his shirt collar and another hand on his cheek. His hold was firm yet gentle. Colten was finding it too easy to ignore the guilt and wrongness the situation brought. He shouldn’t be kissing this man! This mysterious, gorgeous, sexy man…

Slowly, he started to feel lightheaded. Not like in the romance movies when the two love interests kiss and one of them always says they feel like they’re flying or as light as a feather. More like he was falling asleep in the middle of the day with no warning. It grew and grew until he shifted to more comfortably sit on the floor without struggling to hold himself up. The man below him moved as well, so Colten was practically laying on top of him.

The brown-haired man hummed in satisfaction, and Colten had to stop himself from doing the same. ‘A kiss shouldn’t feel this good,’ he thought. Aside from the energy drain, it was down right heavenly. He’d only kissed one other man before and they’d broken up a little over a year ago, so it wasn’t like he was completely foreign to what a kiss felt like. But compared to his ex-boyfriend, this kiss was like a breath of fresh air in the middle of a boys locker room.

His mind was swimming in the blissful sensation that he didn’t hear another figure shuffling about and sighing in deep disappointment. “Sam, enough.” The man he was kissing, Sam, didn’t respond. Instead, he simply tilted his head and changed the angle of their kiss, making it feel deeper and them feel closer. Never did Colten think “close” was the word he’d use to describe kissing a stranger who’d broken into his home covered in blood and most likely had ill intentions.

“ _ Sam!”  _ The green-eyed man frowned and made a muffled sound of frustration before pulling away and letting Colten go, allowing the blond to lean back and sit on his knees. For a moment, Colten and Sam looked into each other’s eyes, neither being able to read the other’s expression.

“Happy?” Sam cocked an eyebrow and looked up at the one who’d yelled at him to quit it. The other man was taller and dressed in fancy, well-made clothes. Out of the trio, he was the one who looked like he belonged in the mansion. Even with the blood on his clothes and tears in the fabric. His raven-black hair was wild and untamed, and his glasses looked bent with one lens cracked.

The taller sighed, “No, and don’t get smart with me.”

“Oh, my  _ apologies!” _ The sarcasm was layered on thickly. “So sorry I don’t like feeling half-dead!”

Another man, the third one out of the five Colten could see, stood up on wobbly feet. “Guys, can we not fight right now?” The short, ocean-eyed boy whined with a pout. He had a baby face and didn’t look much older than Colten, if he even  _ was  _ older. The boy could’ve easily been younger than him.

Sam stood up and bawled his fists. The two began to snap at each other, perfectly resembling a brotherly feud. The last two awoke and stood up as well, both looking at each other with tired faces.

The blond opened his mouth to speak, questions piling up on his tongue. Seeing them felt like boiling water being splashed on his face after he’d been in a year-long coma.  _ This  _ was what that feeling had been. The feeling of disgusting nausea. Who knew what they were going to do! They were all so relaxed about the situation that calling them unfeeling didn’t seem like a stretch. The words he wanted to say fell back into his throat. His mouth hung open as he searched for something to say, something to do other than  _ sitting there! _

“Sir, are you alright?” Colten snapped his gaze up from the red floor and locked eyes onto the tall, raven-haired man from before.

Colten tried to speak but alas all that came was silence, so he opted for simply shaking his head. How the hell was he supposed to be alright?! Out of everyone in that room,  _ he  _ should be the one asking that question, not them! He wasn’t the one bleeding onto the floor with his clothes cut to ribbons. That’s when he felt the stare. All five men looked at him with concern and worry, like he was a puppy who’d just been kicked by a steel-toed boot.

“…How… how can you ask that when you look like death?” The men looked at each other in slight surprise and confusion. He couldn’t tell if it was because Colten proved he could speak or the question itself had shocked them.

The same man cleared his throat and approached him until he saw how Colten flinched and leaned back, getting ready to run. A solemn expression painted his face, “I can’t ignore the bruise on your cheek, nor the fear in your eyes.” Perhaps that’s why they were all staring at him that way. The large purple splotch that plagued his face.

“Yeah, we’re not the only ones who look half dead.”

“Sam… shut it.” It was almost frightening how the man could glare daggers at his brother before morphing his expression to be soft and caring when looking down at Colten. With each passing second, it seemed more and more likely that he was surrounded by sociopaths.

“May I come closer?”

Colten thought before speaking. “Why do you need to come closer?”

“To help you up,” He said, sounding like the answer was obvious.

In response, Colten swiftly stood up, making his head spin for a few seconds. The man looked a little hurt but backed away a few steps so there was a comfortable distance between him and the rest of the men.

“We’re sorry for the intrusion. We didn’t know this home belonged to anyone, and we just escaped a fight that could’ve ended our lives.” Malix and his gang were the first people that came to mind. The chances weren’t all that slim, knowing that their territory wasn’t too far from the mansion. Still, he wasn’t going to jump to conclusions since there were plenty of other possibilities. He’d rather keep his thoughts free of Malix since the devil already terrorized him everywhere else.

“Do…do you need help? Should I call someone?” Colten gestured behind him where a house phone sat on a small table between two of the red couches.

“Thank you but that won’t be necessary.” Colten cocked an eyebrow at the man’s response. He looked him up and down, taking note of all the cuts, scrapes, and soon-to-be bruises.

“I have a few medical supplies in the kitchen. I’m no doctor but some of it might help?” Sociopaths or not , he wanted to help them. He wasn’t sure it was because he had a big heart or just wanted them to leave, but he wanted to offer his services. They all looked at one another again; it was obvious the gentlemen of the group was a leader of some sort.

The raven-haired man looked at the others around him and looked at their wounds. “That’s very kind of you to offer, are you sure it’s not too much trouble?”

“Follow me,” Was all he said in response. They all followed him into the kitchen, standing next to the quartz countertop. Three of them sat in the three seats next to the counter while the other two took whatever supplies Colten handed to them and helped the three sitting down. The gentlemen and a man with copper colored hair were the ones aiding the others. It was a sweet gesture that Colten would have smiled at if he wasn’t busy trying to process the whole situation.

“I’m not three anymore, James!! I can’t take care of myself!” Sam snapped at the “leader”. James sighed but continued cleaning Sam’s face, or rather he was attempting to. Sam definitely seemed like a bad boy who could “take care of himself” and “do it alone”. The two bickered until Sam finally gave in and let James take care of him. The copper-haired man aided the other two, although the other raven-haired boy seemed to be mainly taking care of himself. Eventually, they’d all fallen into silence.

It was uncomfortable for Colten; watching these men take care of their wounds in his kitchen. They’d just broken into his house; shouldn’t he at least call the police? If not to arrest them then at least to get them proper medical attention and catch whoever did that to them.

“Why would you kiss me?” Colten broke the silence as he locked eyes with Sam. The other went wide eyed and seemed at a loss for words. He opened his mouth to answer but looked at the other’s before saying anything. Almost like he was asking for permission…

James nodded once at him before he returned Colten’s stare. “We’re incubi.”

That was it. They felt different because they  _ were _ different. Incubi. He should’ve known from the moment Sam kissed him. Should’ve known as soon as he realized they felt “special”. He didn’t want to jump to conclusions, judging off of how they’d acted so far, they seemed like good people, but his mind couldn’t stop from thinking of the horrible stereotypes.

“O-oh……” Colten took a deep breath, trying to clear his head. “Gotcha…”

“Wait, you believe us?” The younger looking boy cocked his head to the side.

Colten nodded, “I’m a witch in training. It’s a family tradition, so I know a thing or two about magic and demonology.” They all nodded in understanding.

It went silent for a few moments until James perked up. “Where are my manners?” He chuckled, “My name is James. These are my brothers, Sam, Erik, Matthew, and Damien.” With each name he spoke, he motioned towards the brother whom the name belonged to. They all sent warm smiles his way when he looked at them except for Sam, who instead scowled at the wall like it’d just made fun of his mother. “May we know your name?”

“It’s Colten,” The blond smiled softly.

“It’s nice to finally know your name!” Matthew exclaimed happily. It made Colten’s nerve calm slightly. He seemed very bubbly and happy even in a situation like this one.

“A lovely name indeed~” Erik’s suave voice felt like a sin to listen to. A flirty look on his face made him look like the classic example of an incubus. Flirty, suave, and always trying to finesse anyone who got close enough. Yep, prime example of a sex demon.

“You’ve done us a great favor, Sir. The least we can do is clean up the blood and make you dinner.” The first part Colten could agree with, he was in no mood to clean up blood, but the dinner he was unsure about. Five strangers in “his” kitchen making him dinner?

“I promise we’re good cooks and we just want to show you our gratitude!” Matthew spoke up with a bright smile. It was strange, but he wanted to trust them. What’s the worst that could happen? God, he prayed those wouldn’t be his famous last words.

“Are you sure? You don’t look like you’re in the best condition…” Colten frowned. There was a way he could help them, but he didn’t wanna say it. Or rather it felt horribly awkward to offer.

“If you don’t feel comfortable you don’t have to. You’ve already done enough for us.” Damien spoke up for the first time since he’d met him. It was almost like he’d read his mind. “It’s an ability I was born with,” he chuckled, “sorry about that.”

‘Mind-reading… that’s new,’ he thought. “You just have to touch me, right?” Damien nodded. Colten took a step forward and held out his hand for Damien to take. The ginger looked up at him quizzically before taking his hand and draining just a tad of his energy. When Damien stopped, he stood up and motioned for Colten to sit down.

“Incase you get too tired to stand,” his small grin warmed the cockles of his heart. One by one, each brother took his hand and took a bit of his energy, excluding Sam who’d already had his fill. Colten’s eyes were droopy, and he slumped in his chair, wanting to sleep.

“Why don’t you rest, and we’ll clean up, Sir?” The blond nodded as he fell forward and leaned onto James for support, who was the only thing keeping him from falling out of his chair and face planting. What had he gotten himself into?


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for any errors! Enjoy! <3
> 
> 4,031 w~

Something warm and fluffy laid on top of him, but his back had a slight ache. With some slight observation and opening his eyes, Colten concluded that he’d been placed in the living room. Or one of the many living rooms inside the mansion. He couldn’t keep track of all the rooms and couldn’t wrap his head around how someone could live here, all day, every day. Especially alone in your old age. Although, his grandpa hadn’t always been alone. It’d been eight years since his grandmother had passed, but Colten cherished all the faded memories he shared with her.

After his grandmother had passed, his grandpa seemed desperate to love and care for something. He would ask for Colten and his parents to come over more often and would bombard them with gifts more than usual;  _ which had already been pretty frequently.  _ It’d saddened Colten to not only lose his grandmother and watch his mom go through losing her mother but to watch his grandpa deal with losing the love of his life. Thankfully, everyone healed and could function as normal. Well, until his grandpa had to leave them as well. Now, everything was flipped on its head.

The blond hoped he wouldn’t do anything crazy in the midst of his heartbreak. His grandpa had done something unheard of a handful of months back. Colten hadn’t been allowed to know much about it for his “safety”, but he knew his grandpa had been talking to demons from the Abyssal Plains. Once, he’d overheard his mother and grandfather arguing over bringing said demons over to the human world for reasons he still didn’t know. Every time he tried to learn anything about what they were doing, he was pushed away. The only news he was ever told was the day when they’d brought the demons over and their new lives started.

Colten had begged to know more about them or to possibly meet them. For as long he could remember, he’d had a fascination with demons and magic, so the chance to meet at least one was a dream of his. He never knew what he’d do once he met a demon, but apparently, it was to hold their hand and then fall asleep right afterward. Not his proudest moment but it was more than nothing. Plus, he had some more time to redeem himself. How much time would he have left with them?

The blond rested his head on his knees with furrowed eyebrows. How long  _ did  _ they plan on staying? He sighed at the idea of having to decide; he wanted to be alone and sulk, but could he pass up the idea of helping five demons? A big heart mixed with curiosity was  _ not  _ going to be helpful in a situation like this one.

His nerves started to kick up again. All this time, he should’ve been trying to mentally prepare himself; the second the feeling started in his stomach, but instead, he waited around like an idiot. He needed to calm down. Closing his eyes, he thought back to his grandpa’s comforting words-

“Are you gonna join us for dinner, or are you just gonna keep staring at the wall like a nutjob?” Colten perked up with confusion. Those were certainly not his grandpa’s comforting words. There, leaning against the doorframe like a model, was the boy who’d kissed him, Sam. Did the man ever smile? Or did he just have a resting ‘I don’t want to be here and you’re not making it better’ face?

The blond got up and eyed Sam as he kicked off the doorframe and walked away, not even waiting for Colten. He had to rush out of the room and speed-walk to catch up and the air around them was cold as ice. If things had been awkward earlier, he didn’t even know what to call this sensation. It wasn’t the right thing to think, but Colten almost couldn’t be mad at Sam’s behavior since… well… he was _hooooooot._ It was wrong to give him the green light because of his looks, and Colten wasn’t going to let everything slide just because he was cute. But holy, sweet baby Jesus if he wasn’t a fine-looking man!!! He’d better be careful, or the gay panic would get really bad, _really_ fast. Thankfully for his heart, they arrived at the dining room after what felt like years.

Roses. Red roses. As dark and red as blood. It was a simultaneous reaction that had his brain short-circuiting. It was the first dream he’d been able to figure out. The roses that’d covered his hands and the floor… the long corridors with pained groans echoing down them like a twisted symphony… the rose petals were as red as blood because they  _ were  _ blood. He’d heard their pain from the library as the sound carried down the long hallways. Everything came rushing into mind as soon as he saw the shiny foyer with the roses set down on the coffee table. Even the rose petals stuck to his lips made sense knowing how Sam had kissed him.

Colten shook his head from the memory to ensure that no dirty thoughts would come to mind. No, he had to think about his other dreams in more detail. Maybe if he paid a little more attention, more of his dreams would make sense? He’d think about it more later. For now, he had another task at hand. Getting through a dinner with complete strangers. A million and one things could go wrong, and he wasn’t ready. Of course, he’d never be ready but that wasn’t the point! He didn’t like eating dinner at family reunions, and they were his  _ family.  _ How he was going to get through this, he had no idea. Perhaps pray that they had better conversation skills than he did and had lots to talk about.

“Did the prince sleep well?” Erik, a man with scandalous eyes, walked up to him with a smirk. An exasperated sigh interrupted Colten as he opened his mouth to speak. The blond waited a few moments before trying to speak again, silently chuckling to himself about Sam’s behavior. If he didn’t laugh at it, it would drive him up a wall instead.

Colten waited to see if there would be another interruption before speaking. “I feel better than I did,” He said with a smile. It was sweet that they’d bothered to put him on a couch while he rested; not to mention the clean foyer floor and delicious meal they’d gifted him. Speaking of which, the food smelled  _ heavenly.  _ His mouth watered as he watched the last of the plates be set on the table.

“It smells amazing! Thank you!” James smiled, bowing his head slightly.

“It was our pleasure, Sir.”

“We hope you enjoy it~ I made most of these dishes myself!” Colten cocked an eyebrow at the bold claim. It was somewhat impressive, but he wasn’t swooned that easily.

“I hope you’re a good cook…” The words slipped before he could realize how rude the statement sounded. There was a flash of surprise on Erik’s face before it died down to amusement.

He chuckled and gently took Colten’s hand, kissing his knuckles while never breaking eye contact with him. It felt like a cupid’s arrow had gone straight through his heart and a blush warmed his cheeks. “Only the best for you, your highness.”

“Erik…” James warned, “that’s enough.” The copper-haired man let go of Colten’s hand and looked at his brother with an innocent face that scream ‘I’m 100% not innocent’.

“Yeah dude… you’re getting annoying,” Matthew backed him up as he set down the final plate; a pesto dish of some kind that smelled amazing.

Erik frowned while rolling his eyes, “I’m just trying to be a gentleman.”  _ Gentlemen?  _ Having grown up with a wealthy grandfather and expectations to take over the company, he’d been taught how to be a proper gentleman. And whatever Erik was doing was certainly  _ not  _ being a gentleman. Maybe somewhat polite but not gentlemanly.

“There’s a difference between being a gentleman and being an obnoxious flirt,” James growled. Colten felt a small smile creep onto his face from the remark. Sam chuckled as he leaned back in his chair, getting a sideways glare from James.

The air got stiff as everything fell into silence. “Uhm, dinner looks great! Shall we eat before it… uh… gets cold???” Everyone looked at him and he flushed under their gazes. He wasn’t used to so many  hot people looking at him all at once.

“If you guys don’t sit down and eat soon, I swear-“

“Sam… quiet,” James gritted through his teeth before walking over to Colten and pulling out his chair.

“Thank you,” James nodded and smiled in reply and made sure Colten was comfortable before sitting down in his own chair, which was directly across from where Colten sat; the head of the table. It was an intimidating spot to hold, being the head of the table. Colten had always been more of a side seat kind of guy.

As soon as everyone was seated, Colten made the first move to eat, feeling everyone watching. It felt like five curious kittens were looking at him, and it almost made him laugh. For such a weird situation and poor circumstances, he was quite happy. They all had such soothing auras and they were certainly something else. Other than the fact that they were incubi. But who knows, maybe that was the thing that made them special. Colten hadn’t been around enough demons to know if all of them were just as strangely charming as the five sitting before him.

Satisfied hums filled his ears, and he could see why as soon as he took a bite of the pesto dish he’d seen earlier. These guys were amazing chefs. It was scary how good the food tasted. Probably not a good thing when he was in the middle of grieving and could use some comfort food. Hopefully, there’d be some leftovers he could devour during some odd hour of the night.

Tonight… where would the boys go? They wouldn’t stay with him, would they? He wasn’t sure how he felt about the idea, but he didn’t like the thought of them wandering off into the night thinking trespassing on private property wasn’t against the law. Who knew what they thought was and wasn’t against the law? So, as he took another bite, he thought about what he’d do. Did he truly want these men in his house?

“Sam, Matthew, have some manners! You two are eating like pigs!” James scolded his brothers. The raven-haired man played a very motherly role to them all from what Colten could see. He presumed he was the eldest and did most of the decision making for the group.

“ _ Shuft up, Jawmes!!”  _ Sam attempted to yell at his brother with a mouth still full of roasted potatoes. Colten’s smile widened and he shoved another shrimp in his mouth to stop himself from laughing.

James sighed in irritation, “That’s just disgusting.” Colten swallowed the shrimp before he was ready and failed miserably at containing his laughter. He didn’t know if he was just desperate for a laugh, or if James’s disappointment was just that funny, but he couldn’t control himself. Even a few snorts were added into the mixture before he finally calmed down with a wide smile.

“Ahem,” he took a sip of water from the glass next to his plate, “Sorry that was um… really funny.” He couldn’t help but chuckle again as he tried to keep his smile under control.

It was quiet for a few moments before Matthew spoke up with a grin, “Well, we’re happy we could make you laugh!”

“See, James! It’s entertainment for him! Besides they haven’t eaten in days.” James huffed but kept his mouth shut and looked down at his food, continuing to eat in silence.

For a few minutes, Colten watched as the brothers fell into idle chatter with one another and it felt like he was intruding on a family dinner. The more he watched and the more he heard them talking and laughing, the more he wanted to help. Even if that meant making a risky choice that might’ve been a foolish one to make.

“Do you all have a place to stay?” The blond asked when the room fell quiet. Everyone looked up at him and it was James who finally answered.

“No, we don’t.”

Colten took a deep breath, knowing there was no going back.  _ Let’s pray this doesn’t blow up in my face…  _ “You could all stay here with me.” The air went still. Everyone stopped eating and froze mid-chew. “I-It wouldn’t be for very long, no more than two weeks, but if you want you can stay here.” Still nothing. Had he messed up? Fuck, he shouldn’t have offered anything. He’s such an idiot.

“Are you sure?” Damien spoke up, his calm voice felt like a warm glass of milk on a winter day. Colten nodded with a smile.

“That’s a very generous offer, Sir…”

“All I ask is you don’t trash the place and help me cook and clean since it’s a large house and… I um… I can’t cook…” James chuckled and smiled warmly.

“We don’t mind at all. It’s the least we can do for you.” Colten smiled and felt relieved.

“There are a few extra rooms where you all can stay. I’ll show you where they are after dinner. Although, you might have to share rooms…”

“We don’t mind!! We  _ are  _ brothers after all!” Matthew smiled wide. Colten gladly returned his cheerfulness. 

“Stop speaking for all of us, Matthew,” Sam growled. A deep sigh from James had Sam visibly biting his tongue, but that didn’t stop him from showing his displeasure. “Ugh, fine! But only until we get strong enough to beat up that group of punks!” James nodded in agreement before everyone continued to eat. They discuss a few other details here and there, and the boys asked any questions that came to mind before Colten brought them to their respective rooms.

It felt weird to bring one of the boys, Sam, to his grandfather's room, but Colten didn’t feel like moving all his things and sleeping in a room that he'd feel uncomfortable staying in. “And here’s your room. Again, I’m just down the hall so if you need anything just knock,” He gave him a timid smile as he opened the door and motioned for him to go inside.

“Uh, thanks.” Sam’s voice was laced with awkward confusion. It was somewhat cute to see that kind of expression on a man like Sam; shredded and serious.

“Goodnight!” It might’ve been his imagination, but he swore a light pink dusted Sam’s cheeks, but he chalked it up to the light or the awkward situation.

As Colten walked away, he heard a small, “Night…” before he walked out of earshot. He must’ve been going crazy from the lack of sleep.

He sat down on the bed and picked up his phone for the first time that day. Messages upon messages filled his lock screen. He took a deep breath before diving into the deep end and replying to all the messages; apologizing for his absence and explaining the situation. Well, the beginning part of it anyway. It took a while for his friends to calm down, but they were quick to understand and offered a helping hand whenever he’d need it. Next, he texted his parent's goodnight and made sure his mother was holding up okay. She wasn’t doing too hot so hopefully, she’d feel better in a few months. Bittersweetly, he’d also get a week or so off from school for his loss. In any other circumstance he would’ve been jumping for joy, but now he couldn’t even crack a small smile. 

That’s when he saw a new text from a random number. It was from one of the devils. It was one of the funniest things he’d learned in his life. Devils did indeed have and use phones. They were all cheap burner phones, but it was funny, nonetheless. It was a simple message that read-

_ ‘Warehouse at 3:00 AM. Don’t be late.’ _

Colten groaned. He was exhausted and  _ really  _ didn’t want to see the devils, but he didn’t have a choice if he wanted to live. So, he set an alarm for 2:00 and laid down.

~*~

His alarm went off and pierced through his ears. “Fucking hell…” It took a few minutes to open his eyes but once he got up, he was up and out. He joked to himself that he stumbled out of the house like a drunk, half-awake, and trying to find his way in the dark. Thankfully, he got to the front door without falling flat on his face.

__

It felt like a warm blanket wrapped around him as he stepped out into the night. Everything felt perfect. High humidity on a warm summer night was the best feeling in the world. He had countless memories of running around the backyard and chasing fireflies or sitting on the porch with his friends and talking about whatever came to mind. The memories helped distract him from where he was heading and what he was walking away from.

Working with devils whilst helping demons… that was  _ bound _ to end well!!! If you went back in time and told baby Colten that he’d be in a devil gang when he was older, he would’ve jumped for joy and asked you everything you knew. Now, he knew how stupid that reaction would be. He picked up a rock from the side of the road and clenched it tight before throwing it as far as he could. It wasn’t an impressive throw by any means, but it made him feel slightly better. He debated whether or not he should punch a tree just to try it but decided against it. Scratching up his knuckles because of his sudden temper tantrum wasn’t very high on his to-do list.

The walk was shorter than he expected, but he presumed he’d been walking a little faster to try and get some energy out. In the dark, the warehouse was tall and daunting. If he hadn’t been a part of what the devils were doing, he would’ve rather fight a professional boxer in the ring than go inside to check it out. Unfortunately, he didn’t get to make that hypothetical choice and had to enter the concrete hell.

Growls and snickers filled his head once he stepped through one of the many gaping holes in the walls. Graffiti was painted all over the room, most of it saying vulgar phrases that Colten thought was just plain rude. What else should anyone expect for a devil's hangout place? Devils were untamable and burned like a forest fire. Their crazy, dangerous games could start off small, but before you knew it dozens of lives were lost, countless cars were smashed into the ground, and houses were demolished to look like they were never there.

Henceforth, talking something out and planning for it was near impossible. One who’s a devil does not simply  _ plan.  _ No, they cause destruction wherever they want, however they want. Those kinds of decisions had to be made in the moment to cause that spark that all devils craved from the moment they’re born till the day they die.

All their voices rang out like loud, church bells. Colten thought it was a miracle that no one nearby heard the noise and came to check it out. Mainly because if someone  _ did _ find them it wouldn’t turn out well for them. The blond presumed they wouldn’t let just any human into their group, especially since they already had one ruining their reputation. One hit to their pride was all they could take, and it wasn’t without a win. Raspy and angry, Malix yelled above all the noise and everyone fell silent. Or as silent as devils could get which were scratchy whispers and cackles.

“Do  _ any  _ of you idiots know where those fuck boys went?!” It was silent. With a description like that Colten could’ve taken one of the many boys at his school and they’d fit the description perfectly. When no response came, Malix sighed in irritation. “There were five pretty boys who decided to intrude on our territory-“ he shot a piercing glare at Colten at the word intruder- “and I want em dead. So, if anyone gets any hints as to where those fuckers went you tell me, or I’ll rip your throats out.” The blond predicated that even if someone didn’t have any leads, Malix would kill them anyway out of anger.

Wait…  _ five?!  _ Five men who were “pretty boys” or “fuck boys”. Now, where did he see five men who were all very pretty and to a devil would be considered a fuck boy who also looked like they went through hell when he first saw them? His heart nearly stopped. All the signs were there, and he’d have to be a hopeful moron to believe they weren’t the ones in question. No. No, no, no, no, no,  _ no!!  _ He was already getting consumed by one betrayal, his heart couldn’t take another.

His moment of panic spiked up when he felt it contort his face. He bit the inside of his mouth to try and keep himself under control. In the moment, it felt like all eyes were on him and were looking through him like he was paper-thin. In reality, they weren’t even acknowledging his existence. The only time they remembered he was even alive was when they wanted a new play toy and were too lazy to get one themselves. Leaving Colten to do all the dirty work so they could have their fun.

The room was filled with complaints and excited snickers. Colten could barely hear any of the evil plans being created since too many were going on at one time.

_ …Rip their throats out… _

_ …Tear them apart limb from limb… _

_ …Gut them alive… _

_ …Light them on fire… _

__

All the suggestions that brought joy to the devils’ faces made him gag. He’d heard it all before, but now he knew the people they were planning to kill personally. They were kind and caring from what he saw so far. All he knew was that they didn’t deserve the terrible things that were spewing from the devils’ mouths. He wondered if anyone did deserve those fates; other than the devils themselves.

“Blondie!!” Colten looked at Malix with the best ‘I’m scared but that’s because I’m a human surrounded by devils and not because I’m keeping secrets from you that’ll get me killed’ face he could manage.

He cleared his throat, “Y-yes?”

The devil looked him up and down like a mean girl, “I want a new toy on Wednesday at the usual place and time, got that?”

He nodded quickly, “Understood…” Malix growled at his obedience. Sometimes the devil was pleased with his cooperation but other times his submissive behavior got on his nerves. 

“Such a kiss-ass,” Malix sighed with a roll of his eyes. Usually, he’d give Colten one last scare or shove him against the wall to see the fear spike up in his eyes, but the new situation that’d been placed at their feet seemed to have saved Colten from the torture.

Quickly, he stumbled out of the warehouse and took a few deep breaths. Staying in that warehouse a moment longer and he might’ve fainted from holding his breath. Thankfully, a small park wasn’t too far away, so he plopped down onto one of the benches to try and make sense of it all.

Five incubi were taking refuge in his recently deceased grandfather’s home from the same gang that Colten happened to forcefully be a part of, all while he had weird dreams about…  _ something.  _ Why? Why was this all happening to him? He’d always been into magic, but this was more than he ever bargained for. Colten  _ studied  _ magic and did a few small spells every now and then, he  _ did not  _ jump headfirst into it without any kind of plan.

He sighed into his hands one last time before heading back. This time, he jogged to try and get the last bit of energy out and calm his nerves so he could get some sleep. By the time he reached the mansion, he was a panting, sweating mess. So, he took a quick shower, not wanting to sleep in his filth, and threw himself into bed. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy the fifth chapter! 
> 
> 3,130 w~

Turns out that getting four hours of sleep the night prior to a crazy day and having to get up at 2 AM so you could wake up to go to a gang meeting made you  _ really _ tired. Tired enough to sleep until 3 PM. It wasn’t a first, (Colten had always been a night owl so sleeping in was just part of his daily routine) but he hadn’t been able to get much sleep in forever, so it was a pleasant change of pace. Although, he still didn’t feel 100%, not even close to it, but he felt better than before.

Sluggishly, he got out of bed, washed up, and headed downstairs for “breakfast”. It was somewhat eerie, knowing there were five men somewhere on the property, yet the mansion was surprisingly quiet. On the kitchen counter laid a small plate with a chicken salad sandwich placed carefully in the center. Not only was their food delicious, but they knew how to plate it properly which only added to the experience. Colten wondered if it was for him, and with a quick analysis of the counter, he found a letter wishing him a good morning and hopes that he enjoys his food. He smiled and placed a hand over his heart, touched once more by their actions.

Unsurprisingly, it tasted delicious and Colten deemed it a good way to start his day. Even if eating in silence didn’t help keep his mind from wandering to places it shouldn’t, the food helped him stay somewhat calm. After he cleaned his plate, he decided to roam about the mansion, knowing he was bound to find something worthwhile. And find something he did…

Pictures. Many, many pictures of family and friends. Some were hanging on the walls while others sat on small tables that’d been placed throughout the halls. Almost all of them were of himself and his grandfather. It made sense since he was practically his only grandchild. Colten had four siblings, but all but one were step siblings with no connection to his grandfather and the other was much older than him, so they were all living their adult lives out there in the “real world”. Colten was particularly close with any of his siblings, other than his older sisters Cyan and Ariana, but even they were busy trying to get their businesses off the ground. Rafe, one of John’s kids, was 16 years older than Colten, so the age difference made a sibling bond a little hard, and he was living all the way in Korea as a game designer. The only reason him and Cyan got along so well, even though she was 14 years older and was also John’s kid, was because their personalities worked so well together that they connected right away. Besides, Cyan was much more social than Rafe was, so that helped too.

With each picture he saw, the harder his teeth grinded against one another. Why hadn’t he visited his grandfather earlier? Why did his grandfather have to die when Colten still had so much to tell him and prove to him? Why hadn’t he just taken the damn time to see his grandfather one last time? It was aggravating that he’d made so many mistakes in such a small amount of time, thinking that the only thing he was doing wrong was helping the devils.

Maybe one of his dreams had been trying to warn him?  _ Later,  _ he thought,  _ I should reread some of the dreams I wrote down…  _ Part of him wasn’t sure how’d he feel if he found a dream that represented his grandfather’s death. It’d break his heart to know he’d missed a sign, but then again there was nothing he could do about it. One the contrary, if he  _ didn’t _ find anything that fit the situation, he’d be frustrated that out of everything, his dream decided not to warn him about something so important. Whatever outcome he got; he’d be mad. Of course, he was mad in general so that didn’t help his case, but I digress.

It wasn’t long before he stomped up to another pair of wooden doors similar to the ones that lead to the library and various other rooms in the mansion.

“Darn it!!” A semi-familiar voice groaned, followed by a strange tapping noise. It sounded like they were hitting something to get it to work, kind of like how someone would hit a tv remote to get it working again. Colten peeked inside and saw a mess of black curls bobbing up and down as they examined a box.

“Matthew?” The man perked up and as soon as their eyes met, gave him a cheeky smile.

“Oh, hey!” He tried to sneakily place the box back on the ground where Colten couldn’t see it, but the gesture was a little too obvious to miss.

“What’s that?” Colten asked as he walked closer to try and see what he was holding. The room had shelves of board games, cards, and many video games. A large, puffed up couch sat near the back of the room, ready for someone to sit down on it and game until the moon rose high in the sky. Colten wasn’t a big gamer, but when his friends came over, they loved to challenge one another or tease whoever was playing.

Matthew sat near the grand, flat screen tv, and it didn’t take long before Colten could see what he was holding. It was an old game cube, easily more than ten years old. With a little cleaning and patience, you could get the thing running again, but with all the other consoles they had that were already hooked up, he didn’t see why you’d want to. It seemed like a waste of time if you asked him. “The GameCube?”

He looked down at the box in his hands and made a small sound of surprise. “Is that what this is called? How do you use it?” The blond chuckled and sat down next to Matthew on the floor.

“You sure you want to use  _ that  _ one? If you’re gonna game, at least use it on the other, newer consoles. They’re much better and aren’t such a hassle to set up, trust me.”

“Oh, how do you use the other ones?” Colten smiled and gently took the GameCube, putting it to the side so he could hook up one of newer ones so they could play one of his personal favorites, Mario Kart. The game where you put your love for friends and family aside to crush their hope and dreams and show them that you’re better than them. So, it was a perfect game to play with Matthew!  _ Obvious sarcasm is obvious. _

It took a minute before the screen was lit up with a brightly colored menu, Mario leaning against a race car with a go lucky smile on his face. The music kicked up and Colten was already feeling miles better than he had when he walked into the room. “I’ve seen him before! Isn’t he an Italian plumber?”

Colten chuckled whilst nodding his head, “Somewhat. That’s more like his origin story.” Matthew nodded and waited as Colten got two remotes and placed on Matthew’s lap.

“Ready?”

“Ready!”

It didn’t take long for Matthew to get the hang of it. They did a couple practice races, slowly upping the intensity. Colten forgot the outside world; completely immersed in the little bubble they’d created in the game room. It was full of energy and laughter. Again, and again, they played round after round.

Playing Mario Kart was like a breath of fresh air. A game that pitted friends against one another was bringing the two closer together. Who knows how much time they spent with sparkling eyes gazing into the screen. Flashy raceways and crazy race cars danced across the screen.

“I wish I’d known about this game sooner!!” Matthew rolled onto his back and threw his arms above his head.

Colten chuckled and put down his controller, leaning back on his forearms. The animated menu screen shined brighter than it had before. “Has it.... gotten darker?!” The blond noticed how the sky was darker than it had been when they started. How long had they been playing?

Matthew chuckled as he looked out the window. “Wow... have we really been playing for that long?”

“It’d seem so!” They both laughed, and the room soon sat in a still, comfortable silence. It was pleasant, and even though they’d just met, Colten felt no awkwardness between them. Or at least not enough to make his shoulders stiff and breath shallow.

“I haven’t played this game in forever! I guess I forgot how fun it was.” The energy between the two was friendly, almost like they’d known each other for years and they were simply hanging out. “Thank you…”

Matthew’s ocean eyes snapped open, “Thank you? But I didn’t do anything…”

“You played a video game with me and reminded me that it’s been too long since I’ve smiled. I think that’s a good enough reason to thank you,” Colten brought up one of his knees to his chest; gently swaying back and forth.

“It’s the least I can do after what you did for us! Plus, you’re the one who taught me how to play and introduced me to the game!” And thus, a playful argument began. They were both trying to convince one another that the other party was more deserving of thanks. It didn’t go on for too long, both coming to an agreement whilst laughing like two little boys at a playground.

“I’ve gotta ask,” Colton said, “what games did you play back home?” If the boy was  _ just  _ starting to get into Mario, what else filled his childhood?

The question seemed to stun Matthew for a minute. “Uh…well, I didn’t have time to play back home.”

“Never?”

Matthew pursed his lips, “Ever…” There was a small pause before Matthew continued. “But I did make toys for fun!” Colton felt a warm, familiar feeling at the mention of making toys.  _ Just like Grandfather did… _

“You make toys?” Over the years, he’d learned a few things here and there from his grandfather about toy making. Colton was horrible at making toys. They always came out deformed and the things of nightmares, opposed to adorable children’s toys. He preferred to design them and see his creations come to life on paper.

“Yeah! It’s a specialty of mine!” The raven-haired boy sprang upright, a light bulb almost visible above his head. He reached into his pockets, tongue in between his lips as he concentrated on…  _ something…  _ “Wait for it, wait for it…!”

“A bunny?” Colten watched as Matthew pulled a stuffed animal from his pocket, seemingly creating it from nothing. He’d be lying if he said demons weren’t truly amazing creatures. It had snow-white fur with beady red eyes. An evil grin stitched into its face, alongside a mini plastic knife that sat in it’s right paw. It was the perfect amount of cute and creepy, and Colten immediately fell in love.

His mother bought creepy-cute plushies, key chains, and anything else she could find, so growing up he’d always stared into the eyes of a stuffed devil. They were fun to have around and made them laugh, and the bunny Matthew had made (?) would be a perfect gift for his mother.

“Yeah!-… wait… what  _ is  _ this thing?!” He took one look at it before dropping it and scooting back a few feet. The blond hid his smile behind his hand as he tried to keep his composure. A tiny plush had scared the demon? Perhaps Colten should also back away in fear if the small bunny was capable of that much destruction.

“What’s wrong?” His giggles started to interrupt his speech. All it took was one exasperated, perplexed expression on Matthew’s face to open the flood gates to a fit of laughter. He looked almost betrayed that Colten didn’t see anything wrong with the bunny.

“ _ Look at it!!”  _ He pointed at the innocent toy like it’d committed some heinous crime. When Colten continued to laugh and look perfectly at ease, Matthew pushed the issue further by stating the obvious. “It’s so creepy looking!!”

“That’s what makes it adorable! Try to look past the knife and red eyes,” Colten snorted at his own joke.

Matthew observed it cautiously. Slowly, he reached out to touch it’s soft fur. His hand was right about to pet it’s stuffed head when- “ _ Heheheheeee~” _

Colten would’ve been lying if the giggle hadn’t caught him off guard, but poor Matthew almost died of a heart attack. He yelped and threw himself backwards, eyes wider than dinner plates. It was somewhat chaotic. Colten was on his back laughing like there was no tomorrow, Matthew seemed to be half dead from shock, and the bunny radiated chaotic energy without having to do anything else but giggle.

“A-are you alright?” Colten was trying to catch his breath and control his laughter.

Matthew nodded as he tried to regain his composure, an embarrassed blush dusting his cheeks. “That isn’t what I wanted to make… but it’s good to see you laugh!” Colten reached out to the small toy and held it up to his face.

“Can I keep it?”

“You actually want it?”

Colten nodded vigorously, “My mom’s a huge fan of these kinds of toys, and I’d love to give it to her.”

“Oh, of course!” Colten smiled in thanks as he held his new toy close and made a mental note to give it to his mother the next time he saw her. Hopefully, she’d cheer up a bit when she saw the toy. “So,” Matthew began, “ your mom likes creepy toys?”

He chuckled, “First off, he’s adorable, but yes she does like creepy plushies. She finds them cute and she’ll get a kick out of this.” He rotated the bunny in his hands and tried to picture his mother’s expression when she saw it. The image of her tired, melancholy eyes stabbed at his heart. She didn’t deserve this. She didn’t deserve this pain. “She’s been feeling down lately, so I think this is just what she needs to smile.” The statement slipped out without him realizing it.

“I’m glad I could help! It’s nice of you to think about your mother,” He added the last part with a meaningful gaze. Like there was something else on his mind.

The blond smirked and decided to push his luck and ask questions. “What’s with the face?”

“Hm? What face?”

“Looks like something’s on your mind. Other than the toy, I mean.”

Matthew shrugged, “I’d make toys for my mother whenever she was down before I left. I guess it just reminded me of her…”

“Were you two close?”

The raven-haired boy’s gaze lit up, any gloom washing away. “Yep! I didn’t have many friends outside of my brothers, and they were usually busy, so my mom was my best friend!” Colten smiled as he could easily relate.

Then, a placid conversation started between the two. They shared stories with another about their mothers and happy memories with them. It was surprising, they were fairly similar in more ways than one. Matthew’s great conversation skills aided their little chat as well, making their talk all the more enjoyable.

“My mom let me  _ have it _ when I got home!!” Colten chuckled as he remembered how his stupidity had gotten him in big trouble. Only an idiot of epic proportions snuck out at 3AM to go hangout with his friends. It wasn’t like he couldn’t have asked his mother the night prior, since she would’ve said yes. Lord knows what he was thinking that night, but he didn’t come home to cupcake and rainbows the next morning.

Matthew snorted, “That sounds awful!! Did she let you off the hook?”

“After a week she let me hangout with them again, but it took a few more weeks to make her forgive me.” He’d cleaned the house, helped out with errands, and even offered to give his mother a massage to get her to forgive him. She’d known what he was doing but she let him work for her forgiveness, and Colten couldn’t blame her for it.

Matthew jokingly winced as they stood up and left, taking note of how dark it was outside. Being the kind brother he was, Matthew wanted to offer his help with dinner. Colten and Matthew parted ways at the foyer, both thanking the other for a day full of fun. The blond waited at the table, sounds of a wonderful meal being prepared in the room next door. It was strange. After such a good day, his happiness was quick to falter. He went from a hundred to nothing in a matter of seconds and his mind was quick to fill up with the negative thoughts Matthew had kept away. Hopefully, dinner would be done soon so he could listen to brotherly conversation and forget.

“Hey, you alright?” A hand placed atop his head snapped him out of his thoughts. He looked up to green eyes. In the dining-room light they looked like two shining emeralds.  _ Beautiful… _

Colten nodded and relished the feeling of Sam’s hand ruffling his hair. He was touch-starved and the gentle yet firm touch of another felt nice. Even though Sam was a near stranger, it was a feeling Colten was quick to miss.

He sat down in the chair across from him and leaned back in his chair with his hands behind his head. Confidence rolled off of him in waves and Colten almost felt intimidated. Something about him was… comforting? The first impression Sam gives is unwelcoming and rude, but Colten couldn’t shake the feeling that that wasn’t all there was to him. It was like a cheesy romance movie. The naïve girl swearing up and down that the “bad-boy” had a good heart underneath his cold exterior. The more time went on, the more Colten’s life seemed to be a movie in the making. Sam seemed like a douchebag but something about him was soft. It was hard to put into worded thoughts, but Colten pondered it, nonetheless.

The two sat in an odd silence until dinner began and went on without any problems. Matthew told endearing jokes, Erik teased his brother’s and Colten, Sam sighed and shoved his face with food, Damien added sweet comments every now and then, and James butted in on what his brothers had to say when he felt necessary.

“Are you sure you don’t want a bed fellow?” Erik winked as Colten began to walk out of the room.

_ Could you keep the dreams away?  _ “Oh! Uhm… n-no thank you,” He chuckled sheepishly.  _ Thank you though… _


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope ya’ll enjoy! 
> 
> 3,122 w~

_ The walls pulsed around him. In and out like a lung. Veins rang along the walls and stretched out to the far corners of the room; glowing a brilliant red. His ears ached from a loud siren that played from the walls. It was deep and aggressive, telling him that he was too weak to fight against it. _

_ “You can’t run.” _

_ “I’m in control.” _

_ “You’re nothing without me.” _

_ He was powerless and tethered to the ground. All there was to do was run but he was too light headed to move. He was stuck with no way out. No way out other than ripping through the walls and clawing his way to freedom. _

~*~  
  


He’d gotten little sleep, so he spent the early hours of the morning rereading through old dreams. How many had been trying to warn him of his grandfather’s death? Had there been anymore that’d tried to warn him of the demons? During his search, he’d only gotten through a few pages since he was sluggish and trying to understand every word he read. Two stood out to him.

The first had scenery related to death; a flower garden with lilies sprouting up from the ground. It was easy now to make the connection to his grandfather’s death. He’d almost thrown the small, leather-backed book across the room in anger. Had he really been that blind to not see the underlying tone of death?

Colten felt a similar rage with the second dream that reminded him of his current situation. In that dream, it was some of the words that’d been said to him in a commanding voice that made it stand out. Phrases like-

_ “They’ll run to you.” _

_ “You walk on shards of glass.” _

_ “Thorns block the gates of your Neverland.” _

When he’d first had the dream a month ago, he’d presumed it was about his betrayal and not being fully there for his friends. They all had their own issues with their homelives, and Colten preferred to remove himself when those big problems came up. He’d wait for his friends to come running to him so he could hold them and try and help them forget the horrors that might await them when they got home.

Sometime during his reading, he’d decided to make himself a cup of coffee and sat down in the gazebo in the backyard. It was quiet in the early summer morning, the sun just poking through the clouds. Birds chirped in the trees and the air was still cool. His fingers danced along the surface of soft pink flower petals of a flower that sat in a pot on a glass table beside him. It was silky and he kept his touches light to avoid breaking the delicate blossom.

There was a gentle knock on the wood of the gazebo, “They’re beautiful, no?” Colten looked up to the entrance of the gazebo and was met with a tender, honey gaze. James chuckled, “I’m somewhat fascinated with them.” His voice was dreamy as he looked fondly at the hibiscus plant.

“You like flowers?” It was a stupid question, especially since James had just claimed to have a fascination with them. A poor conversation starter, but it was the best Colten’s tired mind could come up with.

He nodded, “Very much so. Something about them calls to me, even though most find them boring.” James sat down in the seat across from him. When they locked eyes, something flickered in James’s expression that Colten couldn’t read before he looked back at the flower.

“It’s a shame not more people garden. I have many fond memories in this garden with my hands in the dirt,” Colten said.

James lifted an eyebrow, leaning his chin on his index finger. “You lived here before?”

He shrugged, “Not necessarily. This was my grandfather’s house, so I spent lots of my time here.”

“May I ask you why you’re living in your grandfather’s home?”

Colten shifted uncomfortably. He didn’t want to get into it and feared a lump would form in his throat. “He passed a few days ago and I needed to get away from home. This was the only place I could go, but now I see it wasn’t the best idea…” The words sat in the open air before Colten quickly added, “I keep expecting to see him and he’s not here. This house is like one big reminder of him.”

James’s face relaxed, understanding that he hadn’t been talking about the brother’s breaking into his home. Even though that was a small part of it.

“My condolences.” Colten pursed his lips. There was nothing else James could say but he was still bitter to hear it. Those words wouldn’t bring his grandpa back.

Wistfully, he looked into the woods behind the backyard. A diverse collection of plants lined the tree line; memories of him and his family spending their days gardening rising to the surface. “He loved this garden. Whenever I came over, he was always planting something new.” Colten would let himself into the mansion, make lemonade or some other summer beverage, and join his grandpa.

“It’s a beautiful garden. You’re grandfather had talent.” James followed Colten’s gaze, but only for a moment before Colten could feel his gaze on himself. 

The blond swallowed, trying to stay composed. He needed to be strong, he’d already cried enough. “Ever since I can remember, he’d read up on various plants to make sure he knew exactly how to care for them. Then in the morning, we’d go out and buy the seeds to plant them together.”

“Were you two close?” Colten took a deep breath. He just had to tell the story without feeling the emotion. It was harder said than done.

“Very,” Colten gave a weak chuckle when he thought about how much he truly loved his grandfather. He’d loved him, so much. “He was always there for me when I needed him. It’s weird not having him here.” He looked down at his feet, shifting uncomfortably. Opening up to people wasn’t his favorite thing to do, especially when it was about the death of a loved one who’d just passed.

A weird feeling bubbled in his chest. James was looking at him again. Not like how someone would look at you in a conversation though. It felt different. Like something was wrong. “What is it?” Colten looked him in the eye, immediately locking gazes as soon as he looked up. 

“What do you mean?” James straightened up and something in his whiskey colored eyes seemed unfocused.

His brows furrowed. “You keep looking at me like-… oh…” An embarrassed blush warmed his cheeks as he began to feel self-conscious. His hand went up to cup the side of his face. “It’s the bruise, isn’t it?” How could he have overlooked it? There was a giant purple splotch on the side of his face. No wonder the boy’s always looked at him with pity and concern.

“My apologies for staring, Sir. It was out of line.” His eyes cast down to the floor, clearly shameful.

Colten shook his head, “No, I get it. I’d stare too if I were you.” When in a gang full of devils, they often had cuts and scrapes all over their body with large, black eyes to match. It was hard not to stare, but devil's got the wrong idea when people look at them for too long, so Colten was able to control himself.

“If you ever need to talk about anything, I’m all ears.”

“Thank you,” Colten grinned. “It’s nice to have someone to talk to.”

James peered up. “Did you not before?”

He shrugged a matter-of-factly. “I don’t like worrying my friends and some of my problems aren’t for them to hear.” James nodded and they sat in a small silence before Colten thought out loud. “So much has been out of my control lately.”

Instead of asking another soft-ball question, James said, “I can understand the feeling.” The resentful tone of voice he used and slight growl got Colten to look up. His face was scrunched up, as if tasting something sour, and his eyes were narrowed.

“What’s with the face?” The blond asked with a tiny smirk.

“Face? What face?” His expression changed to match his words, attempting to hide the feelings he’d so openly expressed on his face.

“It looked like you just chewed on a lemon,” He said with a giggle. It was almost identical to his face when he was scolding his younger brother’s, but it had more malic and annoyance this time.

James thought carefully, opening his mouth a few times only to say nothing before closing it again. “It’s… nothing, Sir. Just thinking about old complications is all.” The underlying growl in his voice made it seem much bigger than “old complications”.

Colten tried to dance around it with a general question. “You hadn’t been in control?”

He shifted in his chair, acutely unhappy with whatever thoughts he was recollecting. “None whatsoever. My free time, my future… love life…” His voice was a near whisper with the mention of his love life. Pain corrupted his features, even as an obvious effort to hide it was made.

“Love life?” Colten cringed at how the words slipped before he could think. It wasn’t right to ask but it was too late to take back his words once James started talking.

“My father had a say in everything I did. He wasn’t a believer of romance, so I had to meet my lover in secret. He was bound to find out, and once he did, he made sure we never saw each other again…” Colten’s heart sank as James pouted, almost like a child or kicked puppy.

“I’m… so sorry.” James gave him a sad smile, brushing his fingertips on the hibiscus’s petals; mind somewhere else. Colten presumed he was thinking about his lover while gazing at the flower’s beauty.

“We promised to find each other someday, but I have no idea where she could be.” Broken. His voice sounded utterly broken. There had to be a level of pain that Colten couldn’t see on the surface.

He wanted to help. Since he couldn’t fix his own heartbreak, maybe, just maybe, he could fix someone else’s. “Where did you two leave each other?”

James looked up with slight surprise. “The Abyssal Plains,” He said as if the information meant nothing and was of no help.

“Oh… is she still there?” Trying to find one person in a city was hard enough, but when you had multiple dimensions to look through that made the search hopeless.

James sighed. “I don’t believe so. She’s a human like you and was only staying there for a limited time.”

“Hm, so she’s in the human world?” James nodded. At least they could count out the other four dimensions. Not that it made the search easier by much. “Did she ever say where she was from? Or where you two could meet up?”

“The only clue I have is that she’s from America. She promised to tell me more and we’d planned to make a meeting place, but my father tore us apart before that could happen…”  _ Damn overbearing parents. _

He hated the mournful expression on James’s face, understanding how he felt to some degree. Wanting to see someone you love but unable to meet up with them. “I’m sure you’ll find her someday! I’ll help in any way I can, although I doubt I can do much,” He laughed sheepishly.

“You’ve helped me and my brother’s enough, Sir.”

Colten pushed away the comment with a wave of his hand. “Still, it’s unfair… I understand how it feels and I want to be able to make it better…” James opened his mouth to respond, gratitude gracing his features, only to have a bright, chipper voice interrupt him.

“James- oh, hi Colten!” Matthew peeked around the back door with a cheeky smile. “Breakfast is ready!” James and Colten thanked him and stood up, the atmosphere around them somewhat offbeat. There was warmth and a sense of closeness from their talk about losing loved ones. Yet there was a feeling of dread and awkwardness from talking about painful memories that neither wanted to freely talk about and remember.

The raven-haired man turned around and smiled. “I enjoyed our talk this morning,” He said with sincerity. 

Colten smiled and replied in kind. “As did I.”

~*~   
  


They’d dispersed after breakfast, all the brother’s going to the backyard to train. Colten kept his thoughts as clear as he could, knowing Damien’s powers. His mind had wandered a few times to the devil’s faces, so he quickly thought of demonology to make it seem like he was thinking about something purely mythology related. Colten knew what he was doing would seem wrong even if he wasn’t trying to fool anyone. Or rather fool any of the “good guys”.

Hopefully, a little training of his own would clear his mind. Colten had never been a good fighter. Over the few months he’d known the devils, he tried to learn a few different ways to protect himself. Things could get ugly if the devils found out he was housing the “enemy” and he wanted a fighting chance. Unfortunately, the tool that’d give him the biggest advantage was rendered useless.

A simple choker that he refused to wear unless the devils were around. It was a wine-colored gem with a silver support wrapping around it and fanning out with swirly designs. The black, weathered ribbon was too tight around his neck. He felt like he was choking when wearing it but knowing that it was a “gift” from the devils he wasn’t all that surprised. When they’d given it to him, they said it served as his reminder that he belonged to them. It was like a collar. He wasn’t supposed to take it off but wearing it 24/7 got to be too much. Besides, the devils just had to  _ think  _ he never took it off. If they didn’t know he took it off, who were they to say he wasn’t always wearing it?

It was supposedly magic. Colten could feel it’s power when he held it and sensed a new potential to his own abilities whenever he wore it. Never had he been able to put his finger on it. Why would the devils give him something that would help him? They liked him weak and vulnerable. Although, he couldn’t figure out how to use the necklace, so it didn’t matter. He’d tried asking Iris (whom he considered the most reasonable of the devils which wasn’t saying a lot), but she only blew him off. Perhaps he was seeing things, but it was almost like they enjoyed giving him a chance of power. A chance for him to be stronger and overrule them and break free. Only for Colten to fail at using the tool that would grant him that luxury. He couldn’t prove anything. Hell, he didn’t even know if the necklace had any significance. But it didn’t stop him from theorizing.

He sat down at the desk that was placed near the back of the study. Like the library, it was musty and the books lining the shelves spark productivity. The main difference was that the study made him think of boring tasks, like writing an English essay… But it was also a place where he could clear his mind and try to figure out the necklace. Now that he had a bigger drive to find out where the peculiar aura was coming from, maybe there was more hope for him.

Ten minutes in and he almost smashed it to pieces. No matter what Latin he spewed at it or different colored candles he lit around it, the room stayed quiet and his dignity stayed damaged. He threw it at the wall and crossed his arms tightly, lips pressed into a thin line. What was he missing? Or was the only thing he was missing was logic? Was he being stupid and overlooking the choker that was only a representation of their pact? It was possible that he was sensing something that wasn’t there. It was very unlikely, but everything that used to seem impossible was starting to happen. So, who was he to call the shots?

Colten took a deep breath through his nose to try and calm down. “What would you do, Grandpa?” His head knocked against the wooden desk as he tried to get his brain to work. He felt near braindead. Colten had his back against a corner, and he didn’t see anyway out of it. Well, any other way that didn’t involve running straight into the danger and fighting it himself. Colten wasn’t a fighter. He wasn’t sure he could even become a fighter.

With that being said, he could still try. The blond had always preferred brains over brawns, so he started there. The study had mainly business-related books, but there were a few that were about other stale topics, including self-defense. It was inefficient but he had to learn somehow. There were also videos he could watch but he’d left his phone in his room and he wasn’t in the mood to watch some falsely happy people tell him what to do in a bad situation. He’d watch them later when he felt like being humiliated. Swallowing his pride was going to be yet another mountain to climb.

Anyone with half a brain could tell you that trying to learn self-defense from a book wasn’t efficient. Reading the movements and attempting to connect the dots when looking at the images wasn’t an easy task. He found himself reading the same line over and over again, and the pictures weren’t that big of a help. Plus, how do you train for those kinds of encounters by yourself? Colten wasn’t very educated in the self-defense field, but he knew enough to know that you need two people for even the simplest of moves.

He slammed the book shut and shoved it to the side, wincing when it fell to the floor with a heavy  _ thump.  _ His head rested in his hands as his pride and hope died at his feet. Colten pulled at his hair, growing more and more furious as time passed on. The ticking of the clock made his eye twitch in annoyance. Such little time with so much to do and learn. And try as he might, his mind wandered to places it shouldn’t. His luck had soured, and he’d lost one too many things. With angry tears pricking at the corner of his eyes, he curled in on himself. “I don’t think I can do this…”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one took a bit longer! Hope you enjoy and I apologize for any errors!
> 
> 3,4865 w

Colten groaned as he dragged a hand down his face. His palm was clammy, and he cringed at the sensation. “Hunting days”, as he liked to call them, always stressed him out. Luring innocent humans just like him was wrong. They didn’t deserve to suffer the same fate he had. Well,  _ almost  _ suffered _ … _

Wandering into those woods was one of, if not the biggest mistake of his life. If only he’d listened to his grandfather. Maybe his grandfather would still be alive if hadn’t stabbed in the back? Colten shook his head and slammed the front door closed behind him. His dark brown eyes stared daggers into the ground like he was trying to start a fire with his gaze alone. How stupid did grief make a person? Apparently dumb enough to think that an event like that affected another that was completely unrelated. But Colten believed that the butterfly effect could do crazy things…

Initially, he was going to skate to the park. Doing flashy tricks attracted the attention of a few onlookers, so it made picking out a target easier. Unfortunately for him, he was too shaky to pick up the darn thing, so he went without it. He’d be fine. All Colten needed to remember was to smile and try and look alive. In his case, that was near impossible to do yet he tried to keep hope. His life  _ did _ depend on it.

“ _ Oof!!”  _ Colten collided with a well-built wall.

There was a deep grunt, “Watch where you’re going, dumbass!” Apparently, he’d ran into a wall that could talk and sounded very familiar. He looked up to see messy brown hair and sun-kissed skin. With sturdy shoulders and a muscular build, Sam could easily pass for a wall. He was like the unmovable object.

“Oh! I- uhm… I’m sorry!” Colten chuckled nervously and tripped over his own two feet moving past Sam.  _ Great. Just what I needed to make me feel better.  _ Seeing a cute face would’ve lightened up his day, but not when that face was looking at him with pissed-off confusion.

There was a muffled response as he hustled towards the front gates. Colten paused for a second before deciding to drop it. He was already wasting too much time. Time was crucial. Whether you were going to a business meeting or dropping off a play toy for a devil gang. Without it, the world as you knew it would fall apart. Hadn’t Colten’s world already begun its swift descent into pure chaos and destruction? With everything piling on top of his shoulders, he could barely walk down the road in a straight line. Devils and magic, band practice and schoolwork, it all was becoming too much. There were a million and one things he was expected to do, and he wasn’t strong enough. Not without guidance and the two people he trusted most with the task couldn’t help him. One had been struck by grief while the other struck with death.

His steps got heavier and his shoulders slumped till he got to the park. Looking around, he saw very few people walking by. Some dog-walkers and a couple of joggers. One in particular caught his eye. Dyed blonde hair that was chocolate brown at the roots was curled in giant, coarse tendrils. Her pink-crop top was way too small for someone of her size, and her neon green yoga pants hugged her legs tightly. Colten cleared his throat, straightened up, and put on a cocky smile. By no means did he look like what he presumed her type was, but all he could do was try. Strutting his stuff, he marched off to attract the poor “jogger”.

Long story short, he’d failed miserably. All it took was one look and humiliating voice crack and toppling over a few rocks to send her running for the hills. Soon after, he gathered the pieces of his shattered dignity and tried again. This time, with a young man wearing a thin, light grey track jacket. His white and blue sneakers looked like they were fresh out of the box, laces tied in a perfect bow. Unlike the jogger, this wise guy didn’t spare him a second of his time. Try as he might, but the man told him off.

“Look man, I’m not looking to buy… whatever you’re selling. Just leave me alone.” Colten sighed, completely exasperated as he watched the man walk off. The blond was running out of time. He couldn’t afford for people to be assholes. Or maybe that was what he needed…?

One more look around and he found his precious gem. A mildly overweight, middle-aged man. His endeavor of trotting down the sidewalk was painful to watch. It was like a giant penguin making its way through a sandstorm. His perfect target.

“Excuse me!” Colten called out with a smile. “May I just say that you look amazing?” He batted his eyelids and smiled.  _ Please be creepy, please be creepy, please be creepy! _

A grin etched its way into his chubby face, eyebrows perking up in interest.  _ He’s creepy…!  _ “What is a young boy like doing here? It’s only noon on a weekday.” Of course, the man would make the connection. It was written all over his face. A young schoolboy was just what this freak was looking for. Perchance, the man liked the purple splotch that colored his cheek. No wonder everyone else gave him weird looks… he needed to ask Patryk if he could just borrow the concealer since he was starting to feel self-conscious. Not to mention he was sharing a house with five attractive men when he looked like a bruised tomato.

Colten shrugged and twirled his fingers together, “I needed a breath of fresh air…” He gave a dramatic pause and looked up through his eyelashes, his heart cringing at everything he was about to do. “Wanted to feel a new sensation.”

The look on the man’s face made his skin crawl with disgust. People like him deserved the fate that awaited them. If he wasn’t as sympathetic as he was, he would’ve felt immense pleasure in turning him in. Unsurprisingly, he was able to convince the man to follow him. Just like with Lance, he was somewhat thankful when the devils finally showed up. The oily, heavy touches the man left on his shoulders and hips made him gag.

For a few quick seconds, Colten smiled. He smiled about how he was free of the man who had agreed to “have fun” with a minor with way too much excitement. Colten could be free. Just like back then, when he thought it’d be thrilling to go into the one forest he’d been forbidden to go near. He could’ve gone countless other places. Hell, there was a forest in his grandpa’s backyard, but he just needed to see for himself.

He remembered how quiet it’d been. At first, he was laughing to himself about how harmless the place was. Then a twig snapped from behind him. And then in front of him. More and more noises circled him until he was thrown to the ground. At that moment, his life had flashed before his eyes. Blood spilled from the corner of his lips, and one of his eyes was swollen shut. His rib cage burned as if thousands of scolding hot knives had been stabbed into him. A heavy boot kicked his stomach over and over. Vomit pooled next to his mouth on the ground. All he can hear in his memory of the event is the cackles of those around him, and his desperate cries for help and repeated pleas for them to stop.

They were about to finish the job. Colten watched as Malix rose his foot above his neck, ready to stomp as hard as he could and crush it flat. That’s when Colten made his offer. Who cared if he betrayed the ones he loved? Who cares if his decision would cause them harm? At that moment, all that mattered was his own life. So, he made the most selfish decision and traded his family and friend’s love, trust, and safety for his own life. Regrettably, he wasn’t sure if he’d made the right choice. Perhaps his fate was to die in those woods, and he’d changed the natural order?

The blond began to walk away, anxious to get away from the devils. Colten knew that they weren’t aware of the secret he was hiding, yet he still felt like they could see right through him. Devils always had that effect on people. They’re slimming cat eyes cut through any wall you could put up without them even trying.

A calloused hand grabbed his shoulder and yanked him back. “What’s wrong with your face?” The man-devil, Dex, had a voice that was low and jagged. Colten’s chest tightened up as he feared how much his face had given away. Why was Dex not focused on their feast? Were they full already? Or did Colten look  _ that  _ suspicious?

“N-nothing!” Colten looked to the ground as he felt more pairs of eyes land on his trembling figure. There was no way he was already onto him. The brown, shaggy-haired devil was only making fun of him. It wouldn’t be the first time they’d insulted his physical appearance.

Dex leaned forward and cocked an eyebrow, hands shoved deep in his jean pockets. His grimace deepened like he couldn’t pinpoint what Colten’s face was saying. “It’s just… um…” Colten rubbed his palm over his neck whilst trying to think on his feet. The cold, heavyweight on his neck then suddenly became more noticeable than ever. “The necklace! I had a question about it…” Dex’s face fell in disappointment. He straightened back up and rolled his shoulders back. As a heavy sigh escaped his lips, he spun around and walked back to the main group. Colten’s round eyes followed him and gagged at what had become of the man. The sudden guilt bubbled up his throat and he ran to the nearest bush. His breakfast, which had consisted of delicious, fluffy waffles, was spilled out in front of him on display. Coughing, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

He’d done the right thing, hadn’t he? The man was white trash, and Colten needed to survive. There wasn’t any way around it. He couldn’t run, they’d kill his family and then track him down. He couldn’t hide since they would find him. All he could’ve done was find a victim, and he’d done it one better. He’d picked out a victim that turned out to be a predator. But still, seeing all the blood and hearing all those screams. He thought that he’d be used to it. Why did it still bother him?

A few unnamed devils cackled as Colten coughed up the rest of his breakfast. He held his stomach and groaned, leaning against a tree and focusing on the little pebbles scattered along with the dirt. He was shivering, arms twitching at his sides with the want to throw something or punch a tree. A complete train wreck. Was that the only look he could pull off? Recently, the answer to that was a hard yes. 

As he began to walk away, another devil called out to him. Large splotches of blood covered her face, yet she scowled instead of smirked. She stomped over to him and grabbed his shirt collar, yanking him forward. The devils treated him like he was some kind of rag doll… Her nose scrunched up as she sniffed the air. “You smell funny…” The way she said it made it sound like she wasn’t just insulting him. Two yellow, cat eyes stared him down as if she was trying to force some answers out of him.

Was it the demons? He didn’t fully understand how the aura and scent thing worked, only that humans could barely pick up on the change while supernatural beings couldn’t ignore it. Had their scent made its way onto his clothes? He had been living and hanging out with them, so it made perfect sense. Colten made a mental note to take a shower whenever the devils needed to see him again. Besides, he’d been lacking in the hygiene and self-care department.

“I haven’t showered in a few days… that’s all,” He said nervously. She pursed her cracked lips but decided that he was innocent enough. Throwing him to the ground, she scoffed and placed a hand on her hip.

“We’ll check in later for another delivery.” And with that, she spun on her heel and left to join the rest of the group. Colten groaned in pain as he propped himself up on his right forearm; his other hand rubbing his back. Cruel. Simply cruel.

The blond struggled to his feet and huffed, annoyed and tired. A trip to the coffee shop would do him good. It’d be a long walk, but it was just one step after another. It was harder when you felt half-dead and were emotionally drained, so Colten let his thoughts wander to try and pass the time.

All the brothers seemed surprisingly kind-hearted. Never once had they done something to make Colten regret his decision. In actuality, they just kept giving Colten reasons to let them stay. They were phenomenal cooks, amazing caretakers for the mansion, and beyond considerate. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t excited to get to know the other three. Talking with them made the pain fade away and he could get addicted to the feeling if he let his guard down. Was it their personalities or their demonic blood? Or maybe it was a mix of both?

Colten hugged his stomach and kept his head down, letting his fluffy hair act as a curtain. The closer he got to the coffee shop, the more eyes he felt on him. It might’ve been his imagination, but it felt like everyone was staring. As if everyone around him knew the horrible things he’d done, or that they were misunderstanding the bruise on his face.

He lifted his head when he stood right in front of the small shop. His hands shook as he reached out for the doorknob. Colten bit his lip, trying to calm his nerves. Relax, he needed to relax.

Sounds of idle chatter and quiet, instrumental music surrounded him. The smell of freshly brewed coffee and sugary, baked goods filled his nose. Cautiously, he stepped in line, already rehearsing his order in his head, and looked around. There was a large brick wall with various charcoal sketches in white frames. A few hanging plants hung from metal poles, but Colten doubted they were real. The wall on the left was brick as well but painted white and had various shelves with shop merchandise and vintage trinkets. The front of the shop was two large floor-to-ceiling windows that had the shop's name painted onto them in large, fancy gold letters.

“Is that any way to talk to your superior? Where is your manager?!” Colten turned his attention away from the interior design and to the angry woman who was standing in line right in front of him. A frizzy-haired teen stood behind the register, bags under the poor red-heads eyes. She probably had to deal with these kinds of customers all the time.

The girl sighed, “They’re away at the moment. I’m the assistant manager.” Her tone was professional but clearly annoyed.

“What idiotic moron leaves a girl like  _ you  _ in charge?! This is outrageous!!”

“Ma’am, there are plenty of other drinks you can order off the menu-“

The brunette put her hands on her hips, “You’re supposed to serve the customer what they ask for! What kind of coffee shop can’t even manage that?!”

“Like I said before, we’re out of the Cookie  _ Crumble _ Mocha. We can make you a Chocolate Cookie Mocha, but other than that you’ll just have to come back tomorrow…” It was insane that there was even an argument over the topic. It was a small change in the order, why was that such a big deal?

The older women huffed, completely exasperated. “Tomorrow?!”

“Ma’am, there’s no need to yell-“

“I’m not coming back here ever again!! This was horrible service!” She turned around and they met face to face. She sneered down at him and mumbled under her breath, “They just let anybody in here…” And with that, she stomped out of the shop, her heels clacking violently on the concrete floor. Colten was surprised that her heels didn’t snap as she threw open the door, gave one last snarky remark about leaving a bad review, and then tried to slam the door behind her. Although, the door had a stopped that kept it from slamming shut so she just settled for storming off down the sidewalk.

Colten had been nervous to order, but now he had to order after that psycho lady caused a scene. He stepped towards the counter and chuckled awkwardly. The girl across the counter laughed in turn, shaking her head with a smile. “What can I get for you today?”

“I’ll just have a small, plain Caramel Frappuccino.” He tried his best to make eye contact with her. He could feel her staring so that didn’t encourage him all too much.

“Can I have a name to go with that order?” Her sweet tone made him feel a little better. Like she wasn’t judging him, but rather concerned and curious.

“Colten,” he smiled softly. After paying, she nodded and went off to complete his order as he found a place to sit in the meantime. He pulled out his phone (which hadn’t gotten cracked when he got thrown around,  _ thank god _ ) and texted Patryk.

_ Hey, do you mind if I just borrow some of your concealer? It would mean a lot. : ) _

__ It didn’t take long for Patryk to reply. Barley under a minute, even though school was still in session.

_I_ _ don’t mind! When do you want me to give it to you? _

_ Does later today work? _

_ Yep! I can be there as soon as school ends. _

_ Awesome! Btw- I’m at my grandpa’s place rn. _

_ Why? (if you don’t mind me asking) _

_ Just needed some space… anywho- thank you! : ) _

_ Np!! See you later!! <3 _

_ See ya! <3 _

The short conversation made him smile as he sipped his drink. He needed to hang out with him again soon. Talking to his friends always put him in a better mood, and right now he needed the emotional support. Not like he didn’t have it back at the mansion though…

It took a few short minutes for him to down the whole thing. He was exhausted and thirsty, so the drink had done wonders. Colten was tempted to wait in the coffee shop until school was over. It’d be fun to hang out with Patryk at the shop, but he needed to get home. Not only was school not going to end for another couple of hours, but he didn’t want to be gone for that long. Leaving the mansion made him feel on edge. He somewhat trusted the boys but what if the devil gang stopped by? Colten certainly didn’t want to come home to a blood bath.

So, he took a deep breath and began the dreadful walk home. Honestly, Colten should’ve driven. He’d been an idiot not to use his car that he could easily use. But he didn’t trust himself. Whether it was because his hands would shake too much to control the steering wheel, or if it was because he’d get so tired sitting there that he’d swerve off the side of the road.

The walk felt shorter than usual. Colten chalked it up to the caffeine giving him an extra bounce in his step. As he walked past the other luxurious houses, the more he felt out of place. Never did he belong in the lifestyle he’d been born into. Even though his mother had adopted a casual lifestyle, the rank his grandfather held was destined to be his one day. His grandpa never forced it onto him, but his father had. That is when he and his father still talked. Walking up to the front gates, he pushed the memories back once more. He could be angry about the old situation later.

Once inside, a strange sound reverberated around the marble lobby. It was distorted, so Colten closed his eyes and tried to focus on where it was coming from. He let his ears guide him as he walked down one of the many halls and eventually came face to face with the music room doors. A beautiful melody came from behind the wooden doors. Whoever was in there could play the piano like no one he’d ever heard before. He turned the doorknob, dying to know who the talented pianist was.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for any errors! Please enjoy! <3
> 
> 3,049 w

Nimble fingers danced across the grand piano’s ivory keys, leading to a beautiful crescendo. The melody was soft yet powerful. Each note complimenting the one that came before and after it. He’d heard many piano songs in his time, playing a bit himself when he was younger, but it was nothing like he’d ever heard before. It was smoother and played with amazing skill. Colten peered from behind the door, unsure if he should step inside or stay put. Erik’s violet eyes were closed, allowing him to fully indulge in the music. His face was perfectly relaxed yet deep in focus. A soft smile played on his lips, tranquil and seemingly amused. He looked quite stunning if Colten was being honest.

Gradually, the song came to an end. The blond was still in a trance, eyes locked on the latter’s pleased expression. He needed to tear his gaze away, knowing that it was creepy to gaze at Erik without him knowing. Colten was in the middle of trying to win control over his eyes when Erik met his gaze with a smirk. 

“Why hello, my prince~” His eyes widened in surprise. Erik hadn’t opened his eyes before then, so how did he know he was there? 

He fumbled over his words for a few moments. “Sorry for…” Stalking? Watching you like a creep? “Intruding.” Greeeeaaat save… 

Erik chuckled, “You haven’t intruded on anything, my prince.” Colten rubbed his arm and stood stiffly against the wall. The incubus seemed to notice his standoffish stature and shifted on the piano bench. “Please, join me?” He motioned to the empty place beside him.

Slowly, he nodded and sat down next to him. The blond stared at the keys, remembering the brief piano lessons he had as a young child. He’d quickly learned guitar was more up his alley and dropped it, but he knew a few short piano songs. Mainly songs from tv shows or his favorite bands. “Have you ever played before?” Erik smiled, watching as Colten looked at the piano in slight intimidation. 

Colten nodded, “It was years ago, and I didn’t play for all that long. To be honest, I don’t remember a thing!” 

“Would you like a small lesson?” His eyes danced with excitement. Knowing how good he could play, it was obvious he had a deep love for the instrument, and any excuse to talk about it, he would take. 

He didn’t want to decline the kind offer, even though he didn’t really want to. “Um, sure!” Erik smiled gleefully and the lesson began. He took his hands and set them in place for him. Erik’s hands were soft to the touch, making the experience all the more enjoyable. 

“You’re a natural!” Erik said with a cheeky smile.

The blond shrugged with a grin, “I only played a few chords. Not to mention you moved my hand for me.” 

False hurt played on Erik’s face, his hands waving away his words. “Nonsense, my sweet prince.” 

Colten giggled as he pulled his hand away from the piano, hands tingling from Erik’s touch. “So,” he began, “was that an original piece?” 

The copper-haired man nodded. “Indeed, it was. Did you like it?”

“Very much so!” His hands clapped together as he was brought back to the wonderful melody. He’d created various songs of his own, with being in a band and all, but never had any of his songs carried the same sound and message that Erik’s had. “What inspired it?” The stars? The way of life? It had to be something largely important! 

A smirk played on his lips as he placed the crook of his finger under Colten’s chin, drawing them closer to each other. “You, my sweet~” 

Colten could see that what he said wasn’t true. At least not in whole. Erik seemed like the kind of guy who said things just to be charming, and not to genuinely mean every word of what he’s saying. But damn if he wasn’t convincing. To think that the marvelous melody was for him… his heart could only flutter. This man was a fever dream, and many people before him had fallen for it; that he was sure of. 

“Can you play it again? Please?” 

Erik’s expression lightened up. “Of course, my prince!” 

The wonderful song started, and Colten closed his eyes to let his mind be taken somewhere else far, far away. It started off light and delicate, slowly working its way to the gentle powerfulness he’d heard before. Throughout, Colten could feel the story being told in his bones. It wasn’t easy to put in words, so he let his mind go blank. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d let himself completely let go of constant thought. 

The song came to an end once again, and the silence that followed was heavy. It didn’t feel awkward, however. He’d never felt the sensation before. The sexual tension was something he’d somewhat experienced before, but not nearly as strong as it currently was. Was it right to even call it sexual tension? He felt more enthralled by Erik’s charm opposed to feeling seduced.

Erik carefully brushed a strand of his hair behind his ear, a pink blush spread across his cheeks. Their eyes lingered on each other, thoughts scattered and expressions unreadable. All the flirtatious sparkles in Erik’s eyes were gone for the first time. But what had replaced it? Whatever the mysterious glimmer was, Colten couldn’t look away. Was it the music that had him so enhanced? Or was it the smooth language that Erik spoke to him? The air around them slowly began to change to something warmer and romantic. His body felt light, but the air was thick, making breathing a weird feeling. 

His shrill ringtone broke the atmosphere, and Colten felt the embarrassment crawl up the back of his neck. Their fragile moment was shattered on the ground in a million pieces. Erik pursed his lips and looked back at the piano, his eyes closed in what Colten could only assume was disappointment. 

“I’m sorry,” He said quickly before shuffling out of the room. Part of him was glad that he was broken out of his trance, but a bigger part of him was sad that the moment had been destroyed. When he looked down at his phone, he was met with Patryk’s smirking face. The boy had never taken a non-seductive photo in his life. Even his yearbook photo! 

“Hey!” Colten walked down the hall, trying his best to forget what’d just happened. 

“Hey! When do you want me to stop by?” He was about to say ‘as soon as possible!’ until he remembered that he had five strangers living in his house. There wasn’t any explanation that would be believable. Better to keep it all a secret and pretend like it never happened once it’s over. 

“Um, can we meet up somewhere else? I need to get some fresh air,” He lied quickly. There was another pang of guilt as he told a lie for the millionth time.

Patryk was quick to agree and set the meeting place as a small hangout place that they frequently used. Then, for the second time that day, Colten rushed to head out in his car. Thankfully, he didn’t run into anyone the second time around. 

The drive was quick and silent. Usually, there was music playing or Colten would murmur his plans for the week to himself. Filling the silence now however felt wrong, since his life had turned to white noise. Static full of various emotions that he wasn’t ready nor prepared to handle. 

When he arrived, Patryk sat on a low, stone wall; skateboard resting underneath his feet. His face lit up with a smile as Colten stepped out of the car. Even with the happy smile, his eyes looked different. More so worried and not all there than cheerful. The brunet’s voice didn’t sound normal either as he greeted him and handed Colten all the things he’d requested. 

Colten noticed how his eyes lingered on his bruise. Embarrassed, he placed a hand over it and looked away, ready to leave. “You don’t have to cover it around me,” Patryk spoke softly. 

“But you were staring,” Colten countered. Even though he trusted Patryk, he still felt unsettled by his fretful gaze. 

The latter sighed, “It’s just… it reminds me of when you came back from your dads…” His quiet words felt like ice. Colten had tried his best to forget that day. Like the day he joined the gang, remembering the day in detail would break him apart. To remember it and face it head-on would be too much to bear. For most of his life his dad would hurt him where the world couldn’t see; his mind. Then, it got physical. Colten wouldn’t lie and say that he hadn’t thrown the first punch, but in his defense, his dad had gotten too close and he refused to listen to his words anymore. After that fight, his mother got full custody and he never saw him since that day. 

“Thank you for the makeup,” was all he could say. Right now, with everything on his plate, he didn’t need to be reminded of what once was. “I’ll see you later.” 

“Wait- “Patryk grabbed his hand before he could walk away- “promise me that you’ll tell me if something’s up. That you know I’m always here for you and you can tell me anything.” His eyes were filled with sincerity, and the guilt finally came crashing down in a tidal wave. 

Ugly tears spilled from Colten’s eyes, and Patryk held him close. Although, no words were shared between the two, except for their goodbyes. Colten knew he wasn’t allowed to say much, and the few things he could voice weren’t ready to be shared yet. At least, not with someone he was so close to and that he’d have to see face to face afterward. 

~*~

Colten was utterly exhausted when he closed the door behind him. The sun wasn’t even beginning to set in the sky. 

Yet, he didn’t have any energy left to do anything but drag himself up the stairs and go to bed. But was he going to make the smart decision? Of course not! Why do that when you could go get angry at a stupid necklace? Off to the study he went! 

“Damien?” The young gentleman stood in front of the bookcase, gazing at all the books. 

The ginger smiled softly, “Good afternoon.” 

Colten sulked when he remembered it was still the afternoon. It feels so much later… 

“Why don’t you go get some rest?”

Oh right, mind-reading…!

It felt odd to have a conversation when you didn’t speak some of the words out loud. In usual conversation, you could filter out the bad by keeping it in your head, but now there wasn’t a safety net. It was a free for all. 

“Wanted to get some reading done. I won’t be able to relax until I get some stuff sorted out,” he chuckled. He’d never had to control his thoughts before. Not to mention, his thoughts were anything but clean, innocent, and happy. He was an aspiring author for god sakes! 

“Well,” Damien cleared his throat nervously, “there seems to be some amazing books!” 

Colten couldn’t exactly agree with the statement. Business books didn’t necessarily spark his interest. “I… didn’t know you liked economics!” He tried to sound sweet as he looked at the novel in Damien’s hands. 

He blushed and scratched the back of his neck. “It’s… an… um… interesting topic!” 

“I’ve never thought about it that way, but um…I guess it could be fun if you looked at it in a certain way!” His poor attempt at sounding enthusiastic was just as convincing as Damien’s attempt at convincing Colten he actually liked the books. Including economics, for that matter. 

The two avoided eye contact with one another; an awkward silence filling the space. Colten rocked back and forth on his feet, lighting up when he remembered the one book in the story that wasn’t boring. 

The blond scurried to the desk and opened the drawer to find a book he’d placed there years ago. It was still one of his favorite fantasy novels. He’d placed it in the drawer so whenever his grandfather had to work, he could sit under his desk and read. The tradition stopped when Colten could no longer visit as often (and couldn’t fit under the desk). Yet, the last book he’d been reading remained like a timepiece. His handmade bookmark still in the middle of chapter five. 

“Would you rather read something like this?” He held up the novel for Damien to see. 

The latter pouted, his blush growing darker. “I… I can’t read…” His whisper was barely audible. 

Colten felt like an asshole. He couldn’t have helped not knowing, but the signs had been there. “Oh…” he thought of the right words to say but came up empty-handed. 

“It’s alright. I’m trying to learn but it’s harder than I thought,” he gave him a weak chuckle. 

“Well…” Colten knew he’d regret what he was about to say. But when on death row you live life to its fullest, right? Besides, this wasn’t joining a devil gang and sacrificing random strangers for your own survival. This was helping someone read an (actually) interesting novel. “I could help you? Not that I’d be that much of a help! But, I could try if you’d like?”

Damien lit up and his eyes seemed... admirable? “You’d really help me?” 

“Sure! Although, I’ve never helped someone learn to read,” he pursed his lips. He didn’t even remember how he learned! 

Thankfully (?), Damien had had a few lessons from James and soon enough, the book sat between the two. Colten read aloud, dragging his finger under the words as he read them. He prayed that he was being somewhat of a help since he’d never had to help someone read in his life. It came so naturally to him, so to think that Damien couldn’t read was weird. He assumed that it was similar to trying to read a foreign language. Was it different when you knew the language? Maybe, maybe not.

On every other page, Damien would try and read the best he could. Colten would help him out the best he could when he fumbled too much, so it took a while when it was mainly Damien’s turn. However, he seemed to follow along well when read to. Even if he seemed somewhat angry when his fists would tighten up, and when he started to have a headache. Colten suggested they stop, but Damien assured him it was nothing related to stress, so, they continued. 

“She held her ring tightly and whispered her pains into the emerald…” He paused as he remembered his necklace. The bright ruby never once glowed when around his neck, even though it was supposed to when working because of course, it did! All magical items either glowed or floated when they were working. Colten wanted to joke about the thought, but it was true! 

Did he have to whisper pain into his necklace? Was that the missing factor? 

“Was it a gift from your grandfather?” Damien asked.

Colten thought about his grandfather’s face, reminding himself of his loss. He wanted to switch the mental image but knew what else would pop up, so he kept it there and dealt with the remembrance. 

“Y-yes! He gave it to me as a birthday present.” He caressed the ruby, trying his best to admire the cursed gem. 

Damien put a hand on his shoulder, “He seemed like a wonderful man.” The sympathy didn’t feel as good as he wished it had. It was clear the ginger was attempting to make him feel a bit better, but if he was honest it only made him feel worse. 

“He really was…” He whispered. The quiet that followed let the thought sink in. 

Colten stood up abruptly and went to the door. “I’m sorry, but I need to lay down,” was the quickest excuse he could come up with. He felt no desire to be in that room anymore. Crying in front of a relative stranger would be the cherry on top of his bad day sundae. 

He’d do his makeup to cover the bruise to take his mind off of things and then wait till dinner. Easy plan and it made sure he avoided anyone until he was ready! 

~*~

Dinner ended and Colten put another successfully peaceful meal in the bag. Since they all were so good at making conversation, there was never any awkward silence. Hell, he even asked Colten a few questions so he could feel included. 

“My prince?” Erik called out. Colten had only made it up one stair. Did something go wrong in his two-second absence? Gently, Erik took his hand to make sure Colten stopped to face him. 

Those violet eyes were deep with an indescribable emotion. Colten’s stomach started to flip as he dreaded of what he was planning. Was it about earlier? Because… he truly didn’t know what to make out of it. He’d feel better if they pretended it never happened and learn to be at peace with empty air. 

“I…” The charmer was at a loss for words, not making Colten feel any better. When Erik’s eyes seemed to shine with a metallic shimmer, Colten assumed he’d given up on words and would use actions. 

Once again, time froze and he felt Erik getting closer. Feeling similar to same pole magnets being pushed together. It was a kiss. One that’d be for energy. He didn’t mind helping, but he couldn’t kiss him. Hand holding was fine. Maybe a hug too. But to kiss Erik? 

Yes, he was charming. Too charming. It felt synthetic and unreal. Erik should be using that smirk and flirty eyes on some regal women who had a body count higher than zero. 

The blond, not sure how to turn the gesture down properly, hugged him instead. It was quick, Erik not even having the chance to return it. “Goodnight!” He spun around with a beet-red face and sped walked to his room. Reeeeeaaaalll smooth. 


End file.
